Into the Lower Levels
by Omicron the IceQueen
Summary: Level Workers Saga, and co-written: Sometimes, you just meet someone that makes you really want to hop into their armor, several times, in many different ways. After being saved by this strange swordsmech, Perceptor is fairly sure that she doesn't want to let go of him once he joins the Crew. Rated T with Mature warnings!
1. Being Saved at first Meeting

This is Co-Written with Ultra Rodimus Prime

**Queen's notes:** I can't thank Ultra Roddy enough for helping me with this, not just for playing Drift but letting me work out ideas of this world in this story. Thank you sweetie! This story is apart of the same series as the Wrecker story 'A World You never Knew' so there's going to be some differences of cannon as well as much mushing of bits from different worlds together.

As to Perceptor... I think Percy is a neutral shell in body, meaning that Perceptor is neither 'male' or 'female' but since Percy is so slender in frame to start with in this world, she is called most often a femmie and doesn't mind. I'm also going to claim creative liberties as Perceptor is from a world I made n.n

Watch out for the preening peacock Drift XD you'll see what I mean as you read

**Ultra Rodimus' notes:** This is a lot of fun to work on. My Drift tends to be more playful than canon, but that's typical of all my characters, canon or OC. Also, the idea of "peacock Drift" is mine, and I proceeded to infect Icy with it

**Into the Lower Levels**

Chapter 1:

Being Saved at first Meeting

In the levels near but not too close to the surface of Cybertron it was already well into dark, moving from the 'natural' twilight lighting to being dependent on the spaced out and mounted glowing street lights, or at least their equivalent. Most of the surface mechs that don't come down this deep (let alone deeper) into the underground cities and in famous bars, were long since gone.

This section was relatively quiet, with only the sounds of a dripping liquid somewhere, and the soft sounds of both petro-rabbits and rats as well as both of the cyber beasts' two main predators. Turbo foxes and cyber raptors hunted alone or in packs as slightly as they could to feed themselves and kits. There were whole ecosystems with each level, a balance from the rodent pests to the massive slugs that helped clean the planet itself. It was a great place to visit and live, if one was brave and/or insane enough to do so.

White armor gleamed in the darkness as a medium-sized ground frame mech walked through the streets. Blue optics probed the shadows as the mech walked. Drift himself had originated in the lower levels of Cybertron, but this was deeper than even he had ever gone before.

The semi-contentedness in the air was shattered rather spectacularly, and almost randomly as a voice screamed. With no need for air like organics, a Cybertronian could not only get a powerful sound, but a very long one to come out of their systems. However, this scream wasn't very powerful, not really, not with that distantly high, feminine tone and the honest to Primus frightened edge to it.

That had been a scream of fear and maybe even pain. It echoed up from farther down the street like tunnel and out of the darkness of a side passage that led to the sharp drop to the next level. One of the shortcuts the Level Workers had made for themselves.

Drift jolted, then began running in the direction of the scream, his hands closing on the hilts of his short swords. Blue optics narrowed, seeking the source of that sound.

Taking the side passage, it would only take a few paces before the light of the shortcut was visible. Basically just a large opening in the ground into a chamber below, where more golden light came from. A look inside would show two very large mechs, red optics and Kaon in make at first glance. The high angle and the way they were standing blocked who was between them, though the person- a femmie? was still yelling, now as clearer words.

"Unhand me you barbaric ruffians! The Foreman will disembowel you alive for this!"

Drift lurked on the edge of the hole for a moment, optics narrow, glaring down at the two Kaonites. Neither of the two were at all aware of him. Drawing his swords, the white swordsmech jumped through the opening, landing behind the two. "I believe the femme told you to unhand her."

"What the slag?" One of the bigger mechs moved, looking back and down at Drift, startled, and then sneered. "The frack is this?" With his movement away, it showed the far more slender and mostly silver form of the caught femmie. Who was being held off the ground and trying her best to wiggle free. She was scowling and her green optics were narrow, while at the same time the barrel on and slightly behind the right shoulder was inching not only into a more upwards position, but also at her main captor's head.

"Don't just stand there sir- aid me! Please!" The femmie yelped.

"Put. Her. Down," Drift told the two in a cold tone of voice. Both swords were out and ready, the white mech's frame poised to spring.

"Like frag we will," the first speaker said as he fully turned around and flexed out his claws, "Do you have any idea how hard a Wrecker femmie is to get? Or how much they sell for?"

"Sell for...? I say, I am not a product you ill formed an' malfunctioning... bloke!"

Drift was a white streak as he leaped forward. There was no point in saying anything else to these two pieces of scrap. It wasn't long before both were down, one in stasis lock and the other flailing in the ground, the major hydraulic lines in legs and arms severed.

The moment the femmie was free, she had darted to the side and up a column of root like cables. From there she scowled again and had one hand on the shoulder mounted barrel, a few snipped comments were heard before she stilled. Unexpectedly she rotated to look at Drift, and then beyond him. The Wrecker fired the light cannon and although the shot at first looked to be aimed at the white mech it sliced past and impacted on the third mech of the small raiding party.

Drift turned to look at the third mech, regarding the twitching frame. Then he looked at the femme. "Nice shot. I did not detect that third mech."

"I was a sniper before becoming a platform master." The femmie held her head up in pride, "And, I am a Wrecker." She paused to blink, optics flashing dimly, before climbing down from her perch. Once down she retracted her claws and eyed Drift. "I must say, you sir are as proficient in the bladed arts as Wheeljack and the two assassins the Foreman favors... if not more so."

"I was well-trained." Drift sheathed his swords, tilting his helm to the side slightly. "I am Drift."

"Perceptor is my designation," The femmie linked her hands behind her back and inclined her head to the mech, "Thank you Drift for your timely and fortunate arrival and aid," Perceptor added, coming closer, and had no trouble walking on the head of one of the slavers, if she seemed to bounce just a tad to make sure the mech's face would well and truly be in the ground... she pretended not to notice.

Drift chuckled as he watched that. "Glad to be of assistance." He ambled toward her, deliberately treading on the other slaver, getting a groan from the nearly-unconscious mech.

Perceptor looked down at the mechs, making a face, "If the language came be forgiven, as it seems appropriate in this situation, I would like to get as far away from these wankers as possible." The femmie paused, hesitating as she looked upwards and then back to where she must have come from, "I believe that this is the last time I ever attempt to go to the surface on my own."

The white mech chuckled again. "I would have used stronger language, but that's just me. And it would be most advisable to avoid coming to the higher levels without an escort. There are many mecha like these slaggers, unfortunately." He kicked at a sprawled arm. "There's no guarantee that these three were the only ones lurking around."

The Wrecker hesitated, "...perhaps we should do a tactical retreat back to the platform and Crew. Being upon the back of either Sludge or Tar would discourage any ill attempts against my person, or yours." Perceptor couldn't help looking over the mostly off-white form of Drift, though hopefully her glance was more discreet than some that her Crew mates have done to outsiders.

"I can look after myself." Drift's grin took on a slightly nasty edge. One hand rested absently on the hilt of one of his swords. "But yes, it would be best to get out of here. Before any more of them come along."

"I have no doubt," The femmie was hesitant to admit, even with that culturally ingrained pride of a Wrecker to show that she too could defend herself... when not caught by surprise. Sadly though that seemed to happen a lot as the ecosystem was just so fascinating...! "There's a speedway over this way."

"Lead the way." Drift walked over to her, following her toward the speedway.

"Over here," Perceptor motioned, though remembered not to turn her back to the mech completely, not yet, as she lifted a hand to pull down a strange protective visor. It was more slender, fitting her frame and any human would say it looked more like glasses, "I must report this to X-Brawn and Red Alert, as we're moving the platform soon..."

Drift tilted his helm to the side curiously, watching the femme while keeping his sensors open for any other mecha who might be attempting to sneak up on them. "Those names aren't any I recognize," he noted conversationally.

"I imagine you may not," Perceptor inclined her head, "X-brawn is the head of security for the whole of Roadbuster's Crew, Red Alert more so for the home base platform itself as well as her medical officer duties." The wrecker waved her arms, "They have to do constant sweeps closer in and on job sites to keep the riff raff out and away from things they can and do hurt themselves on, in and against. Quite a bother really, though I do not know the attraction of coming to gawk at Wreckers at work. We, ahh, they, I mean the on-site workers can be very unruly and vulgar."

Drift chuckled. "No worse than some of the mecha topside. Especially the dockworkers." Spotting a flicker of light, he turned to see a glow beetle making its way in their direction, its crystalline shell glowing a soft yellow-orange. Three pairs of wire-thin antennae waved about on front of it, and he could hear the tic-tic-tic of its tiny feet hitting the metal ground.

"Oh!" Perceptor came to an abrupt halt, optics widening, "Is that a gemmed Insecticon? What in the name of Vector Sigma is it doing so far from any colony?" She demanded and diverted to investigate, almost as if she completely forgot Drift was there. Being lighter than most mechs and normal femmies as well, Perceptor came up to the glowing beetle. All but cooing in her fascination as she started to realize this wasn't what she first thought it was. "Fascinating...! Not too large, seems to have no cyber-venom ducts, so it can't have been from the time period of the last great war..."

"It's a harmless glow beetle," Drift interrupted. "They eat scraps of energon and nutrient-rich metal. On the surface you can find them anywhere." He picked it up and placed it in her hands. The beetle crawled over her palms, investigating.

"A surface dwelling mecha beast this deep?" The femmie lit up, "Oh, I very rarely see any outside of some imported pets. I wonder how it produces the glow." She trailed off, starting a passive scan, "Is it like what our cyber raptors can do with their crests?"

"I have no idea. But the little buggers get everywhere." Drift shrugged. He was a warrior, not a biologist.

"That is not a valid excuse not to learn in another field," Perceptor almost bristled as she frown up at Drift, holding the beetle with every intention of bring it back to her lab.

"It's not something I've ever been interested in." Drift shrugged again, watching the beetle's antennae tap against Perceptor's armor.

The femmie hummed back at the beetle, that softer tone she'd heard the caretakers in Insecticon colonies do. Wondering if the glow beetle could relate to that, "You never know when knowledge, sometimes random, is of great use though."

"I've never been able to wrap my processor around it," Drift admitted. "I'm a warrior at spark, not a science-y type."

"Ah, but I am a science-y type!" Perceptor all but chirped as she pulled out a container out of subspace to put her new beetle in.

Drift chuckled. "So I see." He watched the beetle explore its new environment. "Up on the surface, on the night side of Cybertron, if you sprinkle energon on the ground, it will attract a whole swarm of glow beetles in every color you can think of."

"Will it now?" The wrecker asked thoughtfully, "They must have amazing scenting abilities..." Perceptor said as she started to walk again, watching the creature as well.

"I guess that's what those antennas are for." Drift matched her pace, keeping an optic warily on the shadows. "I really don't know. I just know that spilled energon attracts them very quickly."

"I must see if there's any research done on them when I go up." Perceptor made the mental note aloud before looking up. She paused and took the next left, that lead to a more lighted tunnel that in turn lead to the brightly lit and very well maintained speed way. It was as good as the ones on the surface, like those in the larger cities in fact so it seemed a little out of place.

Drift blinked at the light, than looked the speedway over. It was not what he had expected to see this far underground.

"I said I was a Wrecker, sir Drift," The femmie beamed up at him, "We are level workers and this is a main line of this section."

"I've never been this far down," the white mech replied. "I really have no idea what's down here."

"Ahhh, than you are not aware of the races?" Perceptor smiled again, "I thought with a build like yours that was way you ventured down here."

"I ventured down more out of curiosity than anything else, and I have never had the opportunity to watch the races." Drift looked around, his blue optics taking in everything.

"This is one of the tracks that are used, so it's guaranteed to have a proper smoothness as well as traction if you have tires," Perceptor said, climbing a few stairs and then walking out onto the speed way.

"I'm a hover-vehicle," Drift replied. "No tires." He followed the femme, looking her over curiously.

"Going the left is back the platform, the right..." Perceptor paused and then hummed in embarrassment. "That would have been a safer way to the surface now that I think about it. Yet I had wanted to see wild cyber raptors in their native environment..." She looked both ways, unsure if she should go back now or to the surface as planned. From the way the femmie moved and how she looked gave no hint of what she could change into, and Perceptor seemed to have semi ignored the implied question of what she was in an alternate mode.

"Safer going with company than alone," the white swordsmech pointed out blandly, tilting his helm to one side while he continued to study his companion.

Perceptor turned to face Drift, slipping the container holding the glow beetle into a semi-subspace access compartment. Clasping her hands behind her back she looked up at him, "Would that be an offer of an escort sir Drift?"

"It is," the white mech replied, puffing his armor out slightly.

Perceptor inclined her head, "I would gladly expect it than, if you safely have me to my original destination and back to my Crew with the needed parts and cargo. I shall also be willing to compensate you for your time sir Drift." She motioned to the speedway they were on, "If you truly do favor races I am able to get you into the ones down here, either as a watcher or a racer if you are inclined to be so daring."

"It would be interesting to test my speed against the speed of others down here," Drift replied. He tilted his helm the other way, light glinting on the spines of his audial finials. "Where were you headed when those pieces of scrap found you?"

"To the Icon-3 Research Facility." Perceptor said with a not so hidden sigh of relief, air escaping vents, "They have some equipment that was just developed, I am one of those allowed to be the first testers. As well as some other things I need in exchange for my own research on the planetary slugs in the deeper levels, on their cleansing and mating habits."

There was a pause and then, "Also a shipment of Cyber Wolves and highgrade to be honest."

Drift chuckled. "I can escort you there and back here."

"To the Crew and platform," The femmie corrected, lifting a hand and smiled.

The warrior nodded. "To the Crew and platform," he repeated with a smile.

Perceptor clasped her hands together in the front this time, "Wonderful! You are a good bloke- I mean mech." she hummed again at the slip, trying to keep the normal Wrecker accent down as much as possible. At least for now. Drift grinned back, he liked this femme, she had attitude. "Shall we proceed?" She asked, motioning to the right and taking a few steps as well.

"Certainly." Drift followed, one hand resting on a sword hilt.

"Do you mind walking?" The wrecker asked after a few paces, realizing a slight flaw in her plan if he did.

The mech tilted his helm to the side. "You don't have a mobile alt mode?"

"Ahhh... not really." She admitted glancing away, "To be honest sir Drift, I do not even have a transforming cog."

Drift blinked several times. "Ah." He pondered for a brief moment. "No, I am not opposed to walking."

"Thank the Sigma," She muttered, and then louder added, "A few clicks down there is a walk way though, that will cut down the time."

"Lead the way." Drift inclined his helm to her, following his slender companion through the tunnels.


	2. To the Surface

This is Co-Written with Ultra Rodimus Prime

**Queen's notes: **Okay, Wrecker's don't do subtle very well, even the subtlest of them can only do it to a point. XD

**Ultra Rodimus' notes:** XD Drift being sneaky (as sneaky as he can be), and he and Percy dancing around each other. So much fun to write.

**Into the Lower Levels**

Chapter 2:

To the Surface

This was more like it!

The silver and red femmie considered that thought a second time, as she looked down at her position not only riding on the back of a loader (that would bring them by the Icon-3 Research Facility), but also taking in the fact that she had to be all but in the while mech's lap in order not to fall off. Perceptor's expression became interesting to say the least as she debated before nodding a little as the former statement was still true. If the next bounce had her in Drifts lap...

Wasn't her fault was it?

Drift held still, holding onto the loader. He was well aware that every jolt and bounce was moving the slim femme closer to him. Already she was almost in his lap. Not that he was complaining, not at all.

Diiip-bounce!

Into the mech's lap Perceptor went, automatically grasping his near arm. "I say!" She yipped, "What Crew is in charge of maintenance here?"

"Clearly one that doesn't much care about potholes," Drift replied almost in her audial, a laugh in his voice. His other arm came up to curl around Perceptor's waist, holding her securely. So she wouldn't fall off, of course.

"Its like the mech is trying to knock us out," The femmie huffed, clasping the arm around her but to hold on more than push away, "And this back part isn't even a part of him."

"Maybe he's not used to passengers?" the warrior suggested, his chin almost resting against her shoulder. Warm air from his vents swirled over her plating.

"With a load like this I don't think he is..." Perceptor faltered, surprised and inwardly delighted at the attention. So very rarely did someone truly flirt in any real way, the cheerful terms, words and phrases from those friends she did have (even from Roadbuster!) had always been in playful jest.

"So he doesn't know to be careful when carrying passengers," Drift murmured, shifting his hold on her slightly, sneakily drawing her closer.

"As long as he doesn't jolt us out," The wrecker femmie paused and then because she had that sense of humor, "I think you would partly flatten me sir Drift..."

The white mech chuckled in her audio. "I will try not to fall on you."

"If you do hopefully it is done the correct way." That sound would be Perceptor full courage and then promptly dying of embarrassment that she had said that.

The warrior snorted, the warm air brushing over her armor.

Perceptor tried to speak again, but words kept getting stuck in her vocals before she worked herself into a small fluster. Dipping her head the femmie stopped trying and just sat in the mech's lap and her fluster.

Drift's grip tightened as the loader on which they rode jolted again. The fingers of his other hand tightened on the loader, getting a better grip. His systems purred under his armor.

"You have a very steady grip," Preceptor managed after that, her tone approving as in the Level worker culture, generally being both steady and having a good grip were looked upon highly.

"Being a mech who uses swords exclusively gives me very strong hands." Drift's voice was almost a purr.

"Very few dare such a profession nowadays from what I understand." Perceptor looked up at last, green optics a little wider than normal under the semi-clear visor that was an interesting shade of purple with the edges more orange. She glanced back down at the hand clasping her side, her own fingers traces some of the fine lines of the armor there, able to see the more than 'good' make of him in that.

Drift's armor scraped lightly against Perceptor's back as he shrugged. "There are not many swordsmechs around. But we tend to have some of the strongest hands and arms because of the weapons we use."

She shifted in turn, angling a little to the side to be more settled in his lap while able to see the hilts of his swords. She reached out the touch the top one lightly, "They must be far denser than they appear...?"

Drift's arm shifted to maintain his grip on her, keeping her from falling off. That it pressed her hip frame against his pelvic armor had nothing to do with it. Really. "They have a fair amount of weight to them. And my arms must be strong enough to drive them all the way through an opponent's armor and frame."

"Fascinating..." Perceptor could help a little wiggle, "Brutal but, still, fascinating."

"Cybertron needs its scientists, and it needs warriors to defend the science types," Drift pointed out, his vents huffing slightly.

"Yes we do need such mechs, I do not deny that sir Drift," Perceptor hurriedly assured him.

Drift's chuckle was as much purr as it was laugh. "You don't have to call me 'sir'. Just Drift will do."

"Of course- ah- Drift," The femmie inclined her head to him. In doing so catching sight of his swords again, and because they were there Preceptor couldn't help poking one once more.

Drift watched in amusement as she poked at the sword hilts. "Be careful of the blades. They are very sharp."

Perceptor wrapped her smaller hand around one hilt just to see, but it was too large and she didn't even think to even try to pull. Then as if remembering herself the femmie pulled her hands back to fold them against her lower chest.

Drift's arm tightened around her ever so slightly. His EM field fuzzed pleasantly against hers. The Wrecker hummed softly, looking back and up at Drift's optics before slowly unfolding her hands to wrap them around the mech's arm. She shifted to get a little more settled in the mech's lap, for safety reasons of course. The feeling of the back of Perceptor's shoulder mounted barrel scraping softly against Drift's armor had nothing and everything to do with it.

The white mech's armor was warm against her back, vibrating slightly from the idle hum of his engine. Air from his vents swirled over her plating, teasing along the armor seams. A soft purr came from the more slender frame as she leaned back against Drift, despite Perceptor protests at times she was still a Wrecker and they weren't quiet as shy as Autobots. Though for a Wrecker Perceptor was, else there maybe more than semi- guilty pleasure of half snuggling.

Drift smiled to himself, adjusting his grip on the hauler as it jolted under them again. The white mech shifted his weight slightly for better balance to avoid being thrown off or dropping Perceptor, "Quite a rough ride."

"I think I shall invest in bribing Bulkhead's aid as a driver next time." The red femmie said, agreeing in tone.

The white swordsmech chuckled, "As long as he's a smoother driver than this mech is."

"He will try at least." was the mutter as Perceptor now had to cling to the mech, and truly making a note to have the nearest Crew fix this road

Drift shifted his arm, making sure he had a secure hold on Perceptor. He wanted to make sure she didn't fall or get thrown off by the rough ride. That it pressed her close enough to his frame that he could feel her systems purring had absolutely nothing to do with it, really. The red wrecker was almost sorry when their ride slowed and stopped. It was good that they were there and Perceptor could get her new equipment, yet that meant getting off a lap she didn't want to.

Drift lost no time in jumping off, not letting go of Perceptor. Once on solid ground, he placed the femme on her pedes, though he took his time in releasing her. "Lead the way," he murmured, his blue optics meeting hers.

The visor flushed to a more amber shade before working back to a more blue tone, linking hands behind her back, Perceptor rocked up onto the balls of her feet and all but did a little prance ahead of the mech. Still having the thrill of that closeness from a few moments ago, as well as enjoying the sense of being /safe/ with another mech.

Hey, it was hard not having an alternate in some places.

The white warrior smiled to himself as he followed her, puffing his armor slightly. It had been a long time since he'd met a femme who interested him as much as this one did. The fact that she completely accepted that he was a warrior type, as well as understood the need. That was maybe from being a Wrecker, who's culture was a bit more violent... though that wasn't quite as strong in the red femmie.

She was also very good-looking to Drift, though it was more her personality that interested him. Fluffing his armor showily, he matched her pace, to one side of and slightly behind her, close enough for his EM field to brush against hers.

Perceptor lead closer to him at that as she moved, and then caught sight of something that had the femmie pulling up to a full stop, "Oh!" She pulled her hands around, dipping into subspace as Preceptor saw the scuttling insect cyber beast. "Fascinating..."

Drift stopped, looking down to see what had caught her interest. "What is it? Another beetle?"

"I'm not sure, it's not glowing but still worth investigating." She used the long forceps to pick of the large horned insect and put it into another jar. "I do love new things."

"Just watch out for cyber-scorpions. Their claws are sharp and the drills on their tails hurt," Drift watched her pick up the insect, shifting slightly for a better view.

Perceptor held the jar up for Drift to see, "It looks almost like Bombshell really."

"Hopefully the resemblance is only superficial." Drift scowled at the mecha-bug.

"He could never reach this size, even if the mech is my height." The red femmie assured, "And if it was we would know soon, but the clear metal isn't being eaten."

"Good." Drift relaxed a bit, moving closer to look. His shoulder armor brushed lightly against hers.

Her light cannon twitched before looking up, Perceptor blinked, "Was something wrong a moment ago?" She asked, belatedly picking up on that.

"No, nothing. Just a little wary." Drift shrugged.

"What of?" The femmie twisted the lid to be extra sure it was sealed before subspacing it. with a small hoped Perceptor was back on the right path to the research facility, looking back at Drift.

"I'm a warrior. We're always a little wary of our surroundings. It's how we stay alive." Drift followed Perceptor, again matching his pace to hers.

"I suppose that's true enough." Perceptor nodded, humming softly as she altered her pace in order to be standing closer and beside Drift as they walked the last of the distance to the set of buildings that were the research center.

The larger mech's hand brushed against Perceptor's as they walked, Drift slowly sidling a little closer to repeat the touch as often as possible. His plating was warm against hers. Abruptly she took the step closer to wrap one arm around his, humming in embarrassment and looking ahead. Yet Perceptor wasn't letting go. Drift looked at her in momentary surprise, and then grinned, puffing up slightly. He certainly wasn't complaining, his engine purring.

"You are quiet the mech in all regards I dare say Drift," The femmie said, her voice a bit shy, bit still appreciating as the Wrecker Preceptor was.

"And you are the most interesting femme I've met in quite a while," the swordsmech replied, humming softly.

"I find that hard to believe," Perceptor admitted, "With the wide open surface that every moves around?"

Drift tilted his helm slightly to the side. "Not many femmes outside of the cities, and they usually don't encourage contact."

"Why ever not with such a mech as yourself I cannot imagine." Perceptor said, looking up to see Drift's optics again as they walked. She had to reluctantly let go of him to make it up the uneven steps to the main building but waited by the door as it cycled open.

"I'm not too sure, either." Drift's armor ruffled slightly, his swords settling into more comfortable positions as he waited, staying close to Perceptor.

"Perceptor!" A male voice called from within the semi organized chaos, there was some shuffling and moving of parts and piles before a mech about Drift's size came out of seemingly the maze. He had vivid blue highlights on an orange base, making him stand out almost too much with the loud colors. The mech wrapped the smaller femmie into a hug that lifting off her feet, "It's been ever and a cycle since you came to the surface!"

"Greetings Hightop," Perceptor squeaked, but her smile wasn't forced, just surprised, "I see you're upgrading again."

"Ah, yes," Hightop put her down and grinned at bother the Wrecker and Drift, "Sorry about the mess, we're re-gutting this place to get it mobile again."

Drift tensed briefly at the other mech's appearance, but managed to refrain from reacting. One hand resting on the hilt of one of his short swords, the swordsmech watched with sharp optics as Perceptor was lifted off her feet.

"Drift, this is my comrade Hightop," Perceptor offered the introduction, "He works with much with the different Wrecker Crews, and gets me some of the best equipment."

Though from the looks of things it didn't seem like the latest of goods.

The white mech inclined his helm as politely as he could manage, finally releasing the hilt of his sword. "Good to meet you, Hightop."

"You as well!" the other mech was grinning again as he put a hand on the femmie's shoulder, "Good to see that this lass has an escort, never did like you wandering around like you do Percy, not all alone."

"I am far from defenseless." she huffed, her own light armor fluffing a little bit.

"Tell that to those slavers who tried to nab you," Drift replied, lifting his hand to lightly brush his fingers against her shoulder.

"Slavers!" Hightop yelped.


	3. Puppies will be Puppies

**Into the Lower Levels**

"Slavers!" Hightop yelped before swinging to Drift over Perceptor's protest that her cannon would have taken off a head, "That's it, please do not ever let this lass out of your sight Drift."

White armor puffed up. "Not if I have any choice in the matter."

"I am going to inspect my order," Perceptor huffed, swinging around and made it two steps before running into a pile of parts, "...I meant to do such a thing..."

Drift chuckled very softly, padding after her. "If you can find your order..."

"I can hear the yipping." The femmie lifted her chin up, though had to wait for a chuckling Hightop to go first.

"Are you keeping any of them?" He asked without looking back as he led the way through the maze.

"...perhaps." Perceptor muttered, calming down again.

"Yipping?" Drift echoed, following the femme. He gave Perceptor a curious look.

"Listen," The Wrecker femmie slowed to look back, smiling a bit as she tapped her audio and pointed in the right direction where indeed if one listened with a heightened audios there was yips from young cyber beasts.

Drift tilted his helm toward the sound. "What is that?"

"Cyber wolf pups," Perceptor couldn't help a smile as she clasped her hands behind her back in a more relaxed pose, "A new bunch, Turbo-foxes are useful and a little more intelligent, but they aren't as strange as the wolves, nor have the same pack-mentality as they and raptors have."

The swordsmech looked intrigued. "What do you use cyber-wolves for?"

"It depends on the section," Perceptor started to explain, "Most times as another set of eyes, as when in full working mode, we Wreckers tend to be very focused on the job. And there are more dangers instead of barbaric slavers. Such as the squid, and spiders- /horrid/ things those are- and, as well as helping locating mechs and femmies if there's a collapse."

"Makes sense." Drift nodded. He peered ahead, looking in the direction of the yipping. The white mech had seen cyber-wolves before, but only from a distance.

Hightop lead way to a 'clearing' like room in the main chamber, "Over here, the foster mothers are watching them, though I think they'll be happy to have only their two pups." He peered over a metal panel that was sideways along with others to keep in the tumbling over each other and two adult, and currently sleeping wolves, rough housing pups of different colors and numbering around twenty six.

Drift blinked at the creatures with interest. "So that's what they look like when they're small."

"Too big in the paws and ears," The other mech said as he stooped to lift the panel up to let Drift and Perceptor into the makeshift pen, "Go on in." Hightop urged the two.

The swordsmech hesitated for a moment. Once he had seen a pack of feral cyber-wolves tear a stray Empty apart. But these pups were apparently tame. Ruffling his armor, Drift followed Perceptor into the pen.

She knelt down before sitting on her knees, not bothered in the least as three pups promptly tried getting in her lap, "They seem quite healthy." Perceptor praised, rubbing ears.

One of the two mothers twitched an ear as a red pup with a brown splotch on its nose tumbled over her neck to curl up against her and fall asleep. The other was sitting up and yawing widely as Hightop came in as well.

Drift settled into a crouch, cautiously reaching out to touch one of the pups. Small muzzles and heads bumped against his fingers, the pups whining for attention. There was a soft thumping from the awake mother, her tail was starting to wag as Hightop was kneeling by her to give that extra attention that meant she was the mech's personal pet. One silver pup was scrambling up onto Drift's knee, planting its too big paws on a white chest to dart out a quick lick to the mech's neck cables.

The white swordsmech jumped slightly at the unexpected action. He settled back down, reaching up to pet the pup. "Hello there."

The pup huffed and wiggled and tried another lick.

"Well, I'll be," Hightop said watching, "Don't think I've seen that little take a liking to anyone really. Why I got her for such a low price since only Wreckers are insane enough."

"Not normally a people pup?" Drift looked up from the pup, carefully rubbing behind the ears.

"It was a rescue."

"Mother got poached by some twat from the Towers?" Perceptor asked, sighing as she got a nod before looking back at the pup that was trying to get all of Drift's attention, "We get fox kits like that too."

"It seems to really like me." Drift was trying to keep the pup from climbing his chest, as it seemed bent on doing. He was less than successful at avoiding the licking.

"It looks like you're a caretaker," Perceptor teased, holding a red and black spotted pup in her arms against chest and right over her spark chamber.

Drift looked over at her. "I don't know anything about keeping or training pets."

Hightop grinned, "Does any knew parent know how to care for a sparkling?" He looked down at his big female wolf and back at Drift as he put a hand on her big head, "It's not too hard, there's plenty of classes, or spend a vorn with the Wreckers down there. Roadbuster can always use help with the guards and I'm sure this lass won't mind."

"Oh hush." The red femmie said, with an undertone of a blushing like hum in her energy field.

Drift certainly wouldn't mind spending more time around Perceptor. But he wasn't going to say that out loud. "That's something to consider, if this little critter is determined to hang onto me." ' "Aarf!" said the silver pup as it finally got to lick Drift's chin, its small tail wagging so hard that the just a wiggling rear end made it fall off the mech's leg. That didn't stop it as it rolled over from back to too big paws before aiming its licks at the nearest white leg.

"That tickles." Drift twitched. He watched the pup curiously. "I wonder why it likes me so much."

"Who knows with those poor pups." Hightop shrugged, looked around and sighed, "Now for the fun part, moving the pup to the transport. They're the last to be loaded up."

"Resistant to being herded?" Drift looked up curiously. He'd never had any experience with animals, aside from trying not to get bitten or mauled by them.

"Energy, lots of energy." Hightop stood up fully, then gave a short bark. A true bark, it had most of the playfully chaos paused, and then the mother wolves barked as well to still the rest. "Okay, you two pick up two or three each and mommans get one, and we'll take a few trips. How does that sound?"

"Reasonable," Perceptor assured as she held the red pup and picked up a grey one before standing.

The white mech looked dubious for a moment, then nodded. He looked down at the little silver pup. "Are you going to let me up?"

The silver pup sat beside the mech's leg, wavering on its large paws...and then with the flat of the its head, and headbutted the white leg. It sat there with a silly doggy grin, head pressed against the metal.

Drift had to laugh at the pup, "Silly creature."

"Congratulations Drift," Hightop chuckled, "You're an Alpha. That'll make things easier if you keep it."

"You should," Perceptor purred softly, almost to herself, "We do have some of the best trainers in our Crew."

The swordsmech looked puzzled. "Alpha?" He carefully picked up the pup, getting to his feet and trying not to step on any of the other pups running around underfoot.

Hightop put another pup in Drift's arms, stooping to pick up three himself while the mothers each had one in their jaws. "It's like a Prime for the wolves and foxes, or queens for the raptors." He managed to move the panel, nudge a pup back into the ring, let the wolf mothers out. Perceptor closed it as she was last.

"So she basically just accepted me as the boss mech." Drift followed Hightop and Perceptor, taking a moment to digest that.

The orange mech nodded, "Yep." He didn't mind at all the licks and soft sounds of the pups he held, while the two in Drift's arms seemed to want to tag team with each other.

Drift shifted his grip, trying to hold onto an armload of wiggle without dropping either of the two. One's tail was beating a tattoo on his armor plating.

"Do you have enough proper kennels for the pups?" Perceptor asked as the mech, seeming perfectly fine with here to pups actually settling down against her with yawns that showed off their tiny teeth that were unlike any of those from earth wolves that would evolve much later on.

"Yep, big enough to fit three pups each, at least just for the trip to your platform." Hightop nodded as he pushed open a door to the covered loading bay that had two trailer loaders. One would be taken by Perceptor and Drift and that was the one with a side open for the last bit of the load, the kennels open as well to stay in order. On the top of the loader was another dozing cyber wolf, a big male with shaggy yet clean synthesized fur. It stared at nothing, not on guard duty but liking the warm spot before slowly leaning back until flopping on its side.

"Are we taking this back down to the platform?" Drift wondered, looking the loader over as he shifted his grip on the pups. "Ack!" He juggled an armload of pup for a moment, trying to keep one from slipping right out of his arms.

Perceptor put her armload into a carrier and hurried over to help by taking one, "Here, ah, there. And yes, it has what we cannot make ourselves, and a few things ordered."

Drift yielded the wigglier of the pups, trying not to drop the squirming critter. "Are they always this wiggly?"

"Not always, they just ate." The other mech assured as he helped put the pups away into the spots they needed to be for transport, "They should all pass out before you're on your way"

The white mech poked at the silver pup, who was determined not to be pried off. "How do I get this one in the carrier?"

"Rub her belly," The femmie offered, smiling at the cyber wolf pup that really was putting all effert on staying with Drift as long as possable.

Drift looked at the pup for a moment, then managed to get a hand past the flailing limbs and tiny teeth, rubbing the creature's underbelly. The silver paws slowed, one held up and twitching as the warm and fuzzy, safe feeling spread though the tiny body. A silly puppy grin was wide with a lolling tongue as the cyber beast finally relaxed at last after first trying to puppy-love on Drift. Carefully, Drift pried the pup from his plating, placing her in a carrier. He ruffled his armor, shifting slightly closer to Perceptor.

"I get the distinct feeling that as soon as she gets out of there later, I'm going to get pounced on."

Perceptor herself chuckled lightly, unable to point out, "Better a pup than an adult, they can knock mechs clear over after all."

"Then I rather dread when she grows up." Drift watched as the other pups were loaded, shifting his weight until his armor brushed against the femme's.

There was vibration felt in the metal, and a ripple in her energy field at his touch, Perceptor unable to completely hide her ration to the white mech now. Her green optics flicking up to look at him before she pulled her visor back down to hide what could be an equivalent of a blush. Though heat was still flushing through her system, and her visor was truthfully rather slender in make.

The white grounder's engine purred as he shifted slightly closer, trying to make the move look perfectly innocent. "How long will we be staying here?"

"Just to load the living cargo." Perceptor said, letting Hightop walk off back to the pups first, as he knew the way back through the maze. "And then we shall return home. Ah, to the Platform."

"I've never seen a Wrecker crew, but then, I've never gone that deep before." Drift ambled after Hightop and Perceptor. "This will be an interesting experience."

"The Platforms are bases, factories, labs, transport and home all in one." Perceptor smiled, "What most surface mechs do not realize is that our 'cities' are mobile."

"I've heard of city-formers, but I don't think I've ever seen one. These platforms sound like something different, though." A white audial finial twitched.

"They are more like the ship-formers," Perceptor said as she picked her way through the maze, "Instead of the living cities, as platforms that are alive or not, must be able to move from section to section where repairs on the levels are needed."

"It's going to be an interesting experience, seeing and probably living on a Wrecker platform for the first time." Drift puffed his armor slightly.

"If someone says to hit the deck though," Perceptor paused to look back at Drift, "Please do not hesitate to drop, it can be anything from a missile, a bolt, scrap metal or a mech."

"Noted." The white mech nodded, ruffling his plating.


	4. Come in for coffee?

Queen's notes: Yeah, Drift is rapidly becoming an expert in distraction for our dear Percy XD

**Chapter Four:**

Come in for coffee?

It didn't take overly long to get the rest of the living, wiggling and yipping cargo loaded. By the time the last cyber wolf pups were put in their carriers, and Hightop had gone over the controls of the loader, the pups had all passed out, leaving the start of the ride more or less quiet. Perceptor, thanks to her lack of over armor, could quite easily sit with Drift in the front, though she was humming in a bit of embarrassment.

Not over the fact that she had to stay right up against the white mech, neatly pressed against his energy field... no, the tinge of orange on her visor was from the fact that the red femmie realized she had no problem with their positions.

Drift's engine purred, his plating vibrating slightly against hers. One strong white arm was wrapped around her, holding her close to his frame. To keep her from sliding off, or so the white mech claimed. His energy field brushed against hers from time to time, his plating warm where it touched the smaller femme's.

Perceptor was oddly quiet, as most of all her attention was on the mech. Her slender fingers ghosted over pale armor when given the chance, exploring by touch when Perceptor dared. The red femmie was able to help with directions, but most of the time it was driving straight on the speedways once they got back into the deeper levels.

Every now and then dark fingers would brush against or over her plating, just short of actually touching, as if stroking Perceptor's energy field. Most of Drift's attention was on where they were going, but part of him was focused on the femme pressed against his plating.

She was flexible enough to fit in close, closer if need be. Perceptor couldn't help small shivers as the mech's own fingers brushed near more sensitive areas, where a sensor was under the light plating.

Oh bugger... he was trouble of the best kind it seemed, if Perceptor was allowed to use Topspin's descriptive words. There was a not so tiny thought of making sure there was no available rooms once back home, so she could offer hers... would that be too much of an abuse of power?

Drift's fingers stroked idly along Perceptor's upper arm. "It looks like we're getting close, if I'm interpreting these screens correctly."

Perceptor cleared her intakes and leaned forward to peer at the displays, bracing a hand on Drift's thigh, "Yes, we will be coming to the front of the platform, so Sludge and Tar will more than likely announce us."

"Definitely going to be an interesting meeting." White plating shifted, hot air from his vents puffing against Perceptor's armor.

"Yes, the boys are a sight to see on their own I suppose." Perceptor admitted, thinking of the massive more beast like mech-creatures that her Crew was using to pull the new platform. She blinked as the femmie realized that she was leaning into the heat from Drift. "I, ah..."

"What?" Drift tilted his head at her. He hadn't seen anything wrong with her leaning closer to him.

It took a moment to realize he didn't mind, and the femmie smiled a bit, "Though I have mentioned it before, it should be said again. You Drift, are quite a mech in all regards." Perceptor had that bit of shy-ness back but also a hint of her Wrecker line that she did admire him.

The white mech tilted his helm. "Thank you. And you, Perceptor, are quite an interesting femme." Light fingertips lifted to brush against her scope.

Both of her hands tightened around Drift's thigh, Perceptor's optics widening at the sensation that ran from the scope and right down into her nerves. A shiver of completely unexpected pleasure worked down her frame as Perceptor refused to let go of the white armor under her hands. Drift tilted his head to the side, intrigued by this response. He repeated the touch, trailing his fingers along the full length of the barrel, one fingertip tracing the edge of the lens.

"Oh...ohmy..." Perceptor got out, her inner workings more than a little warm then it had been on the trip over and back down, she couldn't see the screen displays thanks to having no focus. In all honestly no one had ever handled or touched her scope when Perceptor was conscious, it had so many sensors in it...

"I take it this is a first for you?" Drift pressed his palm against the scope barrel, running his hand along its length.

"Y-yes," Perceptor admitted, shivering again and had to readjusting her grip on the off-white armor.

Drift shifted his arm around her, making sure she didn't slip off the seat, holding her closer to his frame. Warm air from his vents swirled over her armor. "Do you want me to stop?"

The heat was welcome, however warm her systems here starting to burn, the outside was still cool. It was the underground after all, and Perceptor had to wrap her arms around the one around her. The femmie considered the question very hard, reminded herself that she was a Wrecker... but in an honest word. "No... I do not believe I want you to..."

A slow smile slid over the mech's face. Keeping an optic on the screens, so he would know when they were approaching their destination, he continued to stroke over Perceptor's scope, exploring along the barrel. Perceptor's fingers curled around Drift's supporting arm, her back pressing against his bigger frame in reaction. Her energy field flickered erratically for a few long moments before seeming to soften, easier to mesh against. It could be only a minute or a several hours until they got to the platform, Perceptor didn't care as in this moment she finally decided that she didn't want Drift in any room but hers this night, and tried to say as much.

Drift's engine purr increased in volume, his frame vibrating against Perceptor's. He continued to stroke along her scope, humming softly, head tilting to the side at her attempts to form coherent words.

"Can... I keep...?" Perceptor gave a little huff, of all times for her words to fail... but at the same time not wanting to speak, just focus on the mech's exploring fingers. Her own system making a lighter humming counterpart to Drift's purr, as she had no alternate engine.

"Keep? Keep what?" Drift traced one fingertip along the edge of her lens, blue optics drinking in her reactions.

The red femmie leaned her head back, Perceptor's bare green optics looking up to Drift's, wiggling a little in his grip for a moment. "You?" The word was soft, a little shy and again, honest.

Drift's hand paused for a moment as he pondered that. then the stroking resumed. "I don't see why not." His voice was a purr.

"I would very much like that..." Perceptor got out now, and noting that the speedway was slowly inclining down, the passage that held the road was opening and soon they would be in the area of the platform. Massive enough to have a dark sky above with reflected glitters here and there.

Drift looked around, continuing to stroke her scope barrel while taking in their surroundings. "I've never seen anything like this, but then, I've never been this deep."

"The main passages aren't just for... the platforms, though they are very large." Perceptor muttered, still trying to be guide. Although the constant flow of feeling from her scope still very distracting, she was getting used to it a little. "Like... main energon lines in the planet... letting Wreckers get where we need to be."

"Makes sense, if the platforms are as large as you say they are." Dark fingers followed a seam along the length of the barrel.

The red femmie shivered against his frame at that, nodding in agreement to Drift's words. Her green optics flicking ahead to glimpse the first look of the leading edge of the platform. It looked like a ship on rails, with the two massive semi-beasts that were tethered to the front of the platform.

"Is that it?" Drift also caught sight of it, his hand stilling on her scope.

Perceptor nodded, taking a few deep breaths to cool down a bit. "Platform X-E 490."

As the speedway started to curve, going out and then back in, while lowering, it gave a better view. The platform was large enough to hold a full Crew of 200 plus mechs, though not all of them were at the platform at any one time very often. It was silver mostly, with highlights of bright blue and green painted on the angles.

In the front was a very interesting sight. Two... creatures, far more massive than any cyber beasts on the surface were in a carefully made and rigged tethers, tying them to many points on the ship. The creatures in human terms were long necked dinosaurs, only in transformer scale. They were waiting of a command before leaning forward, straining at first, before the whole platform started to move after them, being dragged along the rails for a body length of the creatures.

"Those are Sludge and Tar." Perceptor semi-introduced while motioning to the massive creatures.

"Impressive." Drift ran his hand along Perceptor's scope once more, then withdrew his hand with great reluctance, giving her a chance to regain her composure before they actually reached the platform. "That is most definitely something I have never seen before."

"There is only a dozen or so of their kind left." Perceptor said, shifting but not getting off Drift's leg she was almost sitting on, "Only the oldest Crews had them..." Taking a breath to cycle through, she pointed to the place in the middle of the platform where ramps and loading docks were lowering again. "Over there, we should give this loader to Leadfoot and his sorting crew. He's the big red mech."

Nodding, Drift guided the loader in the indicated direction, taking the indicated ramp. "You get to do the introductions, since they don't know me and are going to be looking at me warily."

"Of course," Perceptor nodded, her light armor ruffled and smoothed out again, running a hand down her sides to be sure it was flattened again. Once the loader had stopped, parked, the femmie smiled politely at the older mech thumping over to them. "This here is Leadfoot, Drift."

Drift kept his expression neutral, inclining his head to the other mech. "Leadfoot."

The dark red mech grunted, eyeing Drift up and down. He was stocky and had a curve in his armor, where he kept his tools in easy reach on his front. The glowing visor turned to Perceptor, back to Drift, and then Leadfoot smirked. "Aye, got a bloke at last Sheila? AH! 'Bout time." He motioned to the platform, "Go on then, we'll take care of the Loader."

The white warrior shifted slightly. "Where will the wolf pups be taken? One of them has... taken a liking to me."

"Bay 21, near the middle o' the platform," Leadfoot smiled, he was gruff, but not unkind, "Percy, you're over due for being off shift- again. Get lost and show yae'r friend around."

Perceptor gave a nervous smile, inclining her head as she had clasped her hands behind her back, "That is a wise idea... yes, yes it is."

Drift nodded. "I'm probably going to get lost a few times until I learn my way around this place." He tilted his head to Perceptor. "Perhaps you could show me around when you get the chance?"

"I shall be delighted to." the femmie assured, "As I am off shift for the next shift cycle. If you would like we could start now."

"A good idea. I'm sure there are many mechs here for me to meet and be interrogated by while we're at it, as well." Drift spread his hands, gesturing for Perceptor to lead the way.

"If you want to stay, it is the Foreman you will need to speak with," Perceptor said as she led the way up one of the many ramps that dropped from and led into the belly of the platform. For being 'night' on the surface, there was no real lack of activity here, with enough Crew members to keep going all the time. Perceptor extended her coms. linking up to the base system of the platform, "He's on a site right now," She admitted.

"Why would I want to leave?" Drift tilted his head to the side. "You're here, and so is that pup who's adopted me."

"Really?" The question was out before Perceptor could stop herself, pausing near one of the elevators that ran between decks and bays.

"Really." The white warrior nodded.

"Roadbuster won't be back until next shift...?" Ah, well Perceptor at least realized that 'flirting' and outright offering were not her best of subjects of skill. Though he had said yes back in the loader... Humming in the equivalent of blushing, the mostly red femmie stepped into the nearest and correct elevator. Hands clasped behind her back to keep her fingers from fidgeting.

Drift followed her into the lift, shifting so that he was standing right next to her, his armor almost touching hers. "I look forward to meeting him."

"Er... Foremen are quite like the Primes." Perceptor felt compelled to warn, remembering the drinking contest three shifts ago and the Crew leader staggering around singing show tunes.

The white mech chuckled. "It promises to be an interesting meeting, I think."

"Very." the femmie nodded, watching the white mech shift, his armor and frame, not the numbers that said what level and section they were in.

White plating ruffled and resettled showily, brushing against Perceptor's arm and shoulder. "How many mechs are on the platform?"

"Hmm? Oh!" The question belatedly sank in after a moment, "The full Crew, including contractors number over 265 at last count."

"I predict that it is going to take me quite a while to meet all of them and be able to remember who is who." Drift shifted one of his hip-mounted swords slightly, the sheath brushing against Perceptor's leg.

She made a soft sound at the touch, standing quite straight and still, Perceptor was not sure what to do with herself in truth. In the loader the two had been closer, in contact and now she could but Perceptor's nerve seemed to come and go whenever it liked.

Drift looked around, taking in everything there was to see, which wasn't much inside the lift. "Where are we headed first?"

"Mid-decks," Percy said, finally moving, her fingers flicking out over a holographic control panel to pull up the basic lay out of the platform. "So you can pick out a set or rooms. All quarters are in the middle three decks, right above the core. The Foreman is near the middle so if needed he can get to any part of the platform within the same amount of time."

The white warrior hummed softly as he regarded the schematic. His hip sheaths shifted, one brushing ever so lightly against Perceptor's leg. "Where are your quarters?"

The lens of the scope on Perceptor's shoulder shifted, giving a tiny whirring sound while the femmie looked down at Drift's sheath. "Lower mid-deck... near my labs... on the same level the open rooms are currently at."

Well that wasn't fully true, but there were free rooms there. It was also the deck the lift was slowing down for.

"Maybe we should start there, then," the mech suggested, shifting slightly and causing his hip sheath to stroke along her thigh.

Since her hands were occupied with the holographic display or clasped behind her back, Perceptor was already reaching to touch the hilt of the sword. Fingers delicately feeling over with light touches, exploring to where the sheath was attached to the hip. Perceptor was very hands on with something new or something (someone) she liked, and her claws though retracted still had the points that left a faint tingling feeling on his energy field, as there were a lot of sensors in her hands.

"Of course!" Perceptor yipped, recalling herself and nearly pulled her hands back but really didn't want to.

The white mech's engine purred as her hand explored his hip scabbard, and he leaned slightly into the touch. "I look forward to seeing them." There was a purr under the words.

Perceptor didn't have much armor, enough to protect her from general life bumps and the occasional fire in her lab (honestly, it was just fires, nowhere near the scale of Wheeljack having fun), but she still had armor. And that armor lifted just a little before shivering back down into position... Who was this mech that was getting her in ways Perceptor wasn't used to at all?

It was baffling, but thrilling, and Perceptor was fairly sure he was meaning to drive her cross-wired.

To any casual observer, Drift's movements looked perfectly innocent. His expression showed only interest in his surroundings. Only if one looked closely would they notice a pattern to his shifting. White armor flared, brushing against Perceptor's arm and side.

The mostly red femmie chirped at that, a true chirp that much, much later on would fit in with one of her alternate forms. But for now it was an interesting reaction since it seemed out of place. Perceptor finely looked up from Drift's middle, the finger tips of one hand still on his hip strut while the lift stopped and the doors opened onto an empty hall way.

Drift tilted his helm slightly. "Our floor?"

Perceptor looked over and then nodded, "Ah, yes. Yes it is." She started to pull her hands back, paused and then took one of Drift's larger ones as she attempted to half pull him out in the mental excuse that he wouldn't get lost if Perceptor had a hold of him.

Drift's fingers curled around hers, a smile touching his lips as he followed her out of the lift, staying close to the smaller femme. White armor ruffled and fluffed, brushing her arm. This time Perceptor leaned into the mech as he did that, her other hand coming up to explore over the back if his hand and the wrist, just above the red cuff like design. Sometimes the femmie just couldn't seem to hold still, or maybe there was just a need to want to touch and feel in Perceptor.

The white swordsmech's engine purred, and he leaned into the touch. Warm air from his vents brushed over her armor, his free hand lifting to brush lightly over her arm.

Finely she couldn't help it, "You are very distracting." Perceptor pointed out, looking back up at the mech's optics. At the same time it wasn't a complaint at all, just had to point it out.

Frag, where was her room again? There, over there on the left.

"Who, me?" Drift gave her a perfectly innocent look. She could almost see the halo hovering above the audial finials of his helm.

"Yes, you," Perceptor miffed a bit, the lens in her scope barrel whirring again, and then cleared her intakes, pausing to motion to a door on the left. "Ahem, well, this is me here..." She blinked realizing that her name was printed on the door, and just like every other door there along with the name was a list of 'Prides' that she liked call it.

Each Wrecker did it, putting their main accomplishments and ranks on the doors to their quarters. Under Perceptor's name-glyph was her current rank of Platform Manager, and then a list that started with; Sniper, tech, chemical specialist, structural engineer, medic grade 3, xeno-biology studies, deep-level cultural major

Then to the side, hand written by someone added on, Makes best fragging energon goodies- 'Buster. Foreman

Oh dear... how could she forget about this? Perceptor glanced back up at Drift, worried because she had never really disclosed all of her skills, and most possible partners had been put off by her high intelligence for reasons she couldn't understand despite said intelligence.

The white warrior's optic rims went up, "A very, very smart femme." His fingers trailed lightly along her side. "Very impressive."

"Yes, I am... I mean thank you!" Perceptor paused and then used two knuckles to lightly thumb the trigger, her door sliding open and into both sides. It wasn't locked nor a code needed, as she fully trusted the security teams that protected the platform and those living inside. "Um... Would you like an energon goodie?" She asked, Perceptor fairly sure she sounded silly.

"Certainly." The purr was back in Drift's voice as he followed her inside, his white armor almost glowing.


	5. Energon goodies of a different kind

**Queen's notes:** ...um, yeah. This is the 'R' rated chapter =D Ultra Roddy is epic, hope you like it and if you're not into the smex, er, wait until the next chapter? This was way too much fun writing a flustered Percy that's been driven cross-wired

**Ultra Rodimus' notes:** This chapter was very fun to write XD I had Drift purring in my headspace for two days after writing this

**Into the Lower Levels**

Chapter 5:

Energon goodies of a different kind

Perceptor's rooms weren't the largest on the platform, though not the smallest as it was made for two before she latched onto it. With the main room open, it had two couches dividing it, facing the far wall that had a screen for watching vids or as normal for the femmie displaying her projects. The other two thirds of the room had a set up for making both flavored energon and the goodies. Two doorways were in the back, open to a closet and the recharging room. Both were dark and the main room dimly lit to save power.

Drift looked around, letting out a soft hum, "Very nice." He meandered over to look at some of the personal items dotting the rooms, his movements as showy as he could make them.

"Thank you," Perceptor said, her green optics on the mech, watching his movements intently as she blindly reached for one of the thin metal containers holding the complete product of homemade energon goodies, not the factory-made, little sheets. Her optics widened a bit as she watched the mech's path take him to her sniper rifle that rested at an easy height for her to grab and had been cleaned not four shifts ago.

The warrior tilted his head, lifting one hand to run one fingertip lightly over the barrel, "Very impressive weapon. I've never known a femme able to use one of these before."

Perceptor shivered as she watched him, remembering the feeling of Drift's fingers on her scope, "I am Wrecker-made," She tried her best to make herself look impressive, knowing it was far from intimidating with her sheer lack of alternate form kibble. "I am stronger than any Autobot or Unicronian of same build... but I will admit that that class of rifle is light weight."

"Perhaps some time you'll let me watch you practice with it." Blue optics gleamed at her over his shoulder as he lightly, slowly trailed his fingertip along the barrel.

Again there was a shiver of light armor from the femmie, and Perceptor wondered as she held the box a little more firmly if it was possible to be jealous of an object. As illogical as it was Perceptor was a bit...

Right! Energon goodies! She could bribe him back over here with them!

Drift's finger trailed along the barrel once more, slowly, before sliding off the polished metal. He wandered over to look at some of the other odds and ends she had collected, ruffling his plating to best catch the light.

Perceptor wished she knew who had designed this mech as she followed after him, wanting to get her hands on him and explore more. In many ways honestly and she finally gave a frustrated sound, the barrel of her scope snapping up over her shoulder from when it had been behind it in response to her frustration.

"I want in your armor." Perceptor blurted, then, "Ahh!" as she realized she did just say that so bluntly, nearly dropping the box of energon goodies as Perceptor promptly covered her optics and mouth, almost vibrating from how much she was humming in embarrassment.

Bright blue optics sparkled at her. Fluffing his armor, he walked back over to her. "Do you?" The purr in his voice was definitely stronger. "I would be most happy to oblige you." One hand lifted to trail over her scope, teasing the sensitive lenses.

"You are driving me daft sir." Perceptor shivered and leaned forward against Drift's front, keeping her face covered still for another few moments, not wanting to drop the box anymore and also wanting to latch onto that near glowing white armor.

"Am I?" He continued his teasing touches, trailing his fingers all along her scope, seeking out the most sensitive places.

"Very much!" Perceptor confirmed as she pulled her hands down, and unable to help herself the red femmie's digits felt over the mech's lower chest, balancing the box on her elbow joints. This strange mech was so _new_ and _different_ and _attractive_... Perceptor knew this want wasn't just some repayment for Drift saving her. Perceptor _loved_ new and different, loved to explore and find out why.

Drift lifted his other hand, exploring the femme's frame. His energy field extended to brush against hers, teasing. White armor ruffled and flared, as if inviting her to touch him.

The box was tucked into subspace to be temporarily forgotten about and to free Perceptor's reach as she took the invitation. With Drift's armor fluffed, basically, her fingers slid into seams easier, even in the state Perceptor was in, she was still mindful of claw tips. Not wanting to hurt as the femmie searched for sensors, her own energy field warm for a lack of a better term, welcoming as another.

The larger warrior stepped closer, his frame almost touching hers. His plating vibrated slightly as his engine purred, one hand stroking over her shoulder to brush dark fingertips along her cheek and jaw.

Perceptor reached up, touching the palm of his hand before leaning against him and tilting her head to him. Her own hands wondering back up from his wrist to shoulder, or trying to. Perceptor was a bit shorter, not just smaller in mass, her optic level was to Drift's chest. The femmie reached up to push her barrel to her back again in order to take that last half step closer to the mech. A dark hand caught Perceptor's arm, lifting her hand up to his face. His glossa flicked out, flicking against the pads of her fingers. Pale blue optics sparkled at her playfully.

Something like a whimper came out of Perceptor, "Mind the claws..." she got out after a moment, her other hand curling to hold onto the lower edge of his shoulder armor, and pretty sure he could feel the extra heat Perceptor's frame was making in the growing desire she had for this mech.

Drift purred against her palm. "I'll be careful," he crooned in response. His other hand ran down her back, gently tugging her closer, against his frame. It was a frame she liked, Perceptor trailed her free hand back down, tucking it under his arm in order to feel around Drift's hip. That connector that held his sword to him, and without looking away started to follow the lines and parts in his hip, while at the same time shifting her stance. Pressing against inside of the mech's same leg.

A strong white arm wrapped around her as the mech nudged her backward slightly. "I take it the berth is in one of the side rooms?"

"Port side-" Perceptor paused, trying to move safely backwards while staying in physical contact, as well as not falling over all at the same time. "-I mean, yes, that one there." She glanced over her left shoulder, both doors were on the port side of the platform.

The white warrior easily lifted Perceptor off her feet, carrying her in the indicated direction. His engine vibrated against her, his field pulsing with anticipation. Her own energy field all but singing her want in return despite Perceptor's more quietness, having no engine. As Drift carried her, Perceptor wrapped her arms around his neck at last while her knees braced themselves on the mech's hips. At the angle it left her feet right in front of him, and nearly curled over his chest plate.

Spotting the berth, Drift strode toward it, placing her on its surface. Flowing onto the berth after her, he crawled toward her, moving like a white-armored feline.

Perceptor scooted closer, and then away from him in some playfulness sparked by an internal thrill. Though sure he wouldn't hurt her, Perceptor was very much aware that Drift was also _bigger_ than her. White armor rippled and shifted as the mech followed, his engine purring even louder. Leaning down, he nipped and nuzzled at her armor, pale blue optics lifting to meet hers.

Her optics had dimmed to a dark shade of emerald in response to what he was doing, and Perceptor reached for the mech. Her hands following seams in his shoulders and then to his neck, for a moment wrapping her arms around the mech's head, carefully, holding him against her before Perceptor couldn't help feeling over the audial finials on Drift's helm.

Drift nuzzled into her midsection, teasingly making his way lower, lips and glossa tracing her armor seams. One hand ran along her leg, fingers sliding into her knee joint.

"Ah- that's new." Perceptor chirped again, wiggling in response.

The warrior purred against her lower armor, giving her a teasing look as he slid further down, pressing his lips against her pelvic armor. His powerful engine revved high, vibrating through his entire frame and into hers.

_Very, very new..._ Perceptor thought with another whimper, her hands on the mech's helm. Not pushing away, just touching as she felt heat coiling around in that part of her. Perceptor wasn't sure what to do, but she knew she wanted Drift. Want to be in- no, no. not that. The femmie also knew she was never that daring, nor had the mind set, and fairly sure physically she could only receive given her frame type.

Drift nipped lightly at the edges of her pelvic plating. "Open for me?"

"Now?" Perceptor chirped again, but after a moment her valve cover did open, and she was humming again, optics widening and lightening in shade.

The swordsmech purred, lowering his head to lap at the thin, hypersensitive plates of metal flanking the entrance to her valve, savoring the taste of the lubricant leaking out. Strong hands slid up Perceptor's thighs to her hip joints as he closed his lips lightly on the rim of her valve, then let his glossa sneak in, flicking against the sensor nodes studding the valve lining.

"Oh my-" Perceptor squirmed a bit in pure surprise, her hands curling around the mech's wrists to hold onto something of him. "Ohmyohmyohmy...!" The femmie's optics where still wide but darkling back to that emerald shade as a pleasured whine escaped from Perceptor's chest.

Optics sparkling, Drift worked his glossa in deeper, hunting out the deeper sensor nodes, his glossa tip stroking over them. His steady purr vibrated through the appendage, directly into the most sensitive nodes.

Obviously Perceptor had never felt such a pleasure before, and was unsure how to fully handle it. His grasp on her hip struts held her in place despite some wiggling. Perceptor leaned forward, sitting up and because of the lack of over armor the red femmie was flexible enough that her helm touched the back of Drift's. She gripped at the mech's shoulders, claws flexing out and scraping over white armor.

Drift pressed closer, pressing his lips against the thing metal platelets while his glossa worked in deeper, as deep as he could reach. His fingertips skimmed over the delicate machinery in her hip joints, feathering over the circuitry.

Perceptor groaned, her frame giving tiny jerks as her claws moved over the back of Drift's shoulders. Though instinctually almost avoided the larger blade hilt on his back- though briefly wondering why he had them on- then on the flipside felt another thrill _because_ the mech was armed still and fully blaming it on the Wrecker side of her mind that Perceptor liked that.

Drift sucked on the rim of the femme's valve, upping the intensity of his purr. Very gently, he nipped and nibbled at the sensitive rim, alternating with flicks of his glossa against the sensor nodes. His fingers worked deeper into her hip joints, flicking against a circuit board.

It wasn't really a trill or a keen, but a mixture of the two that started as Perceptor gave another jerk, her systems heating almost too hot as the femmie hocked her claws onto Drift. Perceptor started to lock up, or so it looked, as the internal charge of energy hit the boiling point and spilled over in the beginning of an over charge.

The white mech lapped at the lubricants dripping from her valve as the excess charge leaped from her plating onto his. Pale blue optics lifted to meet her green as he finally, slowly let go of her valve rim, his lips glistening with her lubricants.

"...oh my..." was all Perceptor could say, her hands still grasping the mech's thick armor, optics flickering from the high of unexpected pleasure and energy. Perceptor was also just understanding what her two best friends had meant when claiming that she needed a good and proper overcharge.

"You like?" Drift purred, slowly licking his lips, savoring the taste of her lubricants.

The femmie nodded, trying and not able to remove her clawed grip on the mech, "I always... like new things..." Perceptor said, shivering as she watched Drift.

"Glad you enjoyed it." Drift shifted forward, nuzzling into her chest, slowly nudging her back down onto the berth.

"Very much," Perceptor hummed as her back straightened and pressed down, her fingers trailing over his shoulders and to Drift's sides as Perceptor could feel the weight of the mech shift over her.

The white warrior crawled forward, his larger frame covering hers, hands bracketing her shoulders. Leaning down, he nipped and nuzzled at her neck, shifting to rub his pelvic plating against hers. Perceptor arched her back to be closer to Drift's frame, understanding the hint of what he wanted. She didn't mind at all but...

"Wait," Perceptor lifter her right hand, motion up as she wiggled back a bit, "Up farther." she said, trying to get to that spot where there was a divot in the berth for her scope, otherwise this next part would be at a bit of an odd angle, and put too much pressure on the sensitive barrel.

Drift shifted, allowing her to move into a more comfortable position. Bright optics watched as she shifted and settled. He followed, settling over her, leaning down to nuzzle against what he could reach of her scope. Considering that the mech had to lean over her shoulder partly to do so, Perceptor found herself turning her head into Drift's neck. Almost tentatively, experimentally, humming against his neck cables and giving one a small kiss and then gentle nip.

The white mech responded by leaning forward and down a little more, tilting his head at an odd angle to flick his glossa against her scope lenses. His hips pressed against hers, his spike pressurizing out of its housing.

Perceptor's hum didn't stop as she worked her hands under armor, retracting the claws though the tips brushed along the insides of seams. The red femmie moved her legs, bringing one up to hook over Drift's thigh, under the sheath of one sword. A soft, throaty sound escaped the swordsmech. He shifted his hips, rubbing the tip of his spike against the rim of her valve before slowly beginning to press in. White armor flared, giving her more access to what lay underneath.

"I am lighter," Perceptor couldn't help murmuring the soft reminder before her hum became more of a moan. Her fingers searching for sensor pools that she knew lay protected under armor, and with Drift letting her in, Perceptor and her sensitive hands soon found one to rub finger pad and claw tip against.

"I'll be careful," the larger mech purred in her audial. He shifted closer, sliding his spike in deeper, rubbing over the sensor nodes until he was fully sheathed, the tip of his spike pressing against the dense node cluster at the top of her valve. A shiver ran through his frame as her fingers found sensitive spots under his plating, sending surges through his sensor net.

Claw tips pressed against the sensor pool, sliding the lengths of them as Perceptor searched for a spot to pull herself closer while keeping her shoulders on the berth. The femmie's valve started to heat again after the small cool down, this time though around Drift's spike as he held it in Perceptor.

The mech held still for a moment, letting her adjust to the feel of his spike buried in her valve, then he slowly began to move, sliding almost out and slowly thrusting back in. Letting out a soft moan, he settled into a slow, steady rhythm. Perceptor started humming again as she shifted a little so to better accommodate the mech's movement. She used his rhythm once found to explore with her fingers in between holding onto his frame, finding another sensor pool more to his front. Perceptor ran her fingers over it, wondering of the reaction.

The white mech shivered all over, a deep purring sound escaping. Slowly, he picked up the pace, moving slightly faster, testing Perceptor's limits. The femmie moaned softly herself now, one hand in a sensor pool while the other wrapped around his armor with claws extended again. Perceptor's optics had gone back to that darker emerald shade as her dental gave light pressure on Drift's chestplate. The femmie wasn't hurting though at his new pace.

Drift shifted his weight to one side, freeing one hand to stroke over Perceptor's chest and side, slipping his fingers into a seam, feathering his touch over delicate circuits. The pace he set was faster and harder, but still careful, not wanting to hurt his lover.

Perceptor wasn't a very vocal type, but she kept a humming or that hybrid tone up. Her claws skimming over internal and sensor spots as Perceptor felt her whole frame heating up again from the mixed feeling of Drift's spike sliding in and out of her valve, what his hand was doing, as well as the friction from her scope barrel moving in the divot from their actions. Dipping his head, Drift nipped at her throat and helm, nuzzling against her cheek. He shifted his hips, changing the angle, his spike rubbing over a different set of sensor nodes. The air over his fluffed armor shimmered with heat.

The red femmie keened softly, shivering and wiggling on and against the mech. Perceptor could feel that inner energy starting to get to the boiling point again, and wasn't sure if it was from the first overcharge sense it seemed too soon. Perceptor didn't want to stop, even with that wonderful feeling that did come with the overcharge.

A soft grunt emerged from the white warrior as he tilted his head, leaning down to kiss her right on the lips. His glossa flicked against her lips, seeking entry. His next thrust sank his spike in a little deeper, the tip striking against the dense sensor cluster right at the top of her valve.

Perceptor's mouth opened for him with a gasp and muffled whine of pleasure form Drift's sudden movement, and she clutched at his thick armor. Okay, she hadn't expected that but Perceptor found herself pressing down, or up, against the mech.

Drift's glossa slipped into her mouth, thoroughly and gently exploring every nook and cranny. He repeated the movement, bracing his feet for that little extra bit of leverage. The femmie hummed as Perceptor's leg shifted in turn, pressing and rubbing against and between the sheath and Drift's thigh with the deeper thrusting movements. Inside, the mech would find that although smaller in size the Wrecker still had sharp pointed canines that grazed his glossa.

The warrior moaned into the kiss, his frame shivering against hers. His fingers found a particularly sensitive circuit, stroking and kneading it. Energy was building, starting to rush through his sensor net, building like a storm wave.

Perceptor was attempting to return the attentions again, but the kneading in her side trigging the boiling point for her. The femmie whined again as she managed to wrapped her arms around Drift's neck while clamping around his spike.

Drift let out a hoarse cry as transfluid erupted from his spike, flooding her valve. His hips bucked jerkily as he rode out the overload, loose charge darting over his frame, leaping off onto Perceptor's. The swordsmech shifted his weight onto his bracing hand, not wanting to collapse on top of the smaller femme, slowly withdrawing his hand from her side seam. There was a hum and buzz of energy trailing over the back of Drift's neck and shoulders where Perceptor's excess energy from her own over charge decided to disperse there along with the internal rush to and through her valve to the mech.

Every mech and femmie was different after all, and that was a part of the fun in life.

It took a long moment for Drift to be able to move again. Slowly pulling his spike from her valve, he brought some rags from subspace to clean up the mess, then settled onto the berth beside her, one hand trailing lightly over her frame.

Perceptor shifted under his touch, with some wiggling to get her scope barrel out of the divot, she rolled to her side. The femmie reached up to trace Drift's features, fingers gliding over from lips to the vents on his helm. After a moment Perceptor leaned up to kiss the mech, not quite shyly anymore.

Drift returned the kiss, his glossa stroking against hers. He wrapped his arms around her, drawing her closer, against his chest,

Unable to think of something to say- what could be said after that?- Perceptor leaned fully against Drift, her optics dimming down. Only to flicker back on as she remembered something. Tired, but not wanting to fail from the offer before, Perceptor shifted to get into her subspace pocket.

The white mech made a soft, questioning sound, tilting his head to look at her. He was already halfway into recharge, though he fought back the drowsiness, concentrating on his lover.

There was a little wiggle, the soft sound of a tin and then Perceptor held a dimly glowing blue-orange, oblong object up to the mech's lips. Fighting the urge to give a small smirk, Perceptor held the energon goodie for the mech if he still wanted at least one before recharging. The swordsmech chuckled softly, leaning forward to gently take it from her fingers, flicking his glossa against her fingertips. Savoring the treat, he gently stroked her back, his optics dimming as he slid closer to recharge.

Perceptor curled over his chestplate to rest her head by Drift's neck, with an audio on his armor to listen to his systems while powering down into recharge herself.


	6. Morning After

**Queen's notes:** Yes, Perceptor is most definitely a morning person... Drift is not. XD Though in later chapters Perceptor might find ways of showing the swordsmech that getting up early has advantages if Ultra Roddy is willing to write it too.

**Ultra Rodimus' notes:** XD In which we also learn that Drift is a cross between a peacock and a cybercat. Scritch behind those audial finials and he'll just melt

**Into the Lower Levels**

Chapter 6:

Morning After

It was the red femmie that woke first, Perceptor had always needed less recharge- even after all the sensual activity of before. Perceptor didn't want to leave, wanting to stay close to Drift, yet at the same time unable to hold still for very long. By the time the mech would start to return to the land conscious, Perceptor had already cleaned up a bit more, and place three cans of energon and the goodies neatly together on the berth.

Perceptor herself was sitting up, back pressed against the mech's pale armor, legs crossed and a several data pads in her lap or beside. Now and then sipping some energon from her cup, leaving the two larger ones for Drift whenever he woke up at last.

It was a while longer before white armor stirred against her back, a soft rumble escaping Drift's throat. A dark hand flexed on the berth, brushing against Perceptor's leg. Pale optics warmed up, the warrior tilting his head to look up at the femme. "You're already awake?"

"For quite some time actually," Perceptor smiled at the mech, her green optics soft and showing her happy mood farther, "I have been reading up on the later mecha engineering designs, but I still cannot seem to place you... you are just so fascinating! Your armor is like that of the older styles only on the modern levels."

And here was Perceptor happily in the named 'science mood.'

Drift rumbled softly as he struggled to get his processor to finish booting. "You're going to find me quite difficult to place." He stretched, curling around the femme as he reached for the energon.

"I love a good and proper challenge." The red femmie nearly purred herself, though the sound far lighter in tone, as she pulled the other two cans into a comfortable reach for Drift.

The mech chuckled at that, pushing himself up into a sitting position behind her and picking up the first can. He made short work of it, putting the empty can down and picking up the second. "This one is going to be a very good challenge. I'll give you a hint, though... I was not rebuilt or given this armor on Cybertron."

Three of the data pads were promptly pushed aside, "Oh?" The femmie turned partly, as much as she could to look at the mech, the fingers of her free left hand gave a little twitch.

Drift nodded. "I was rebuilt off-world. So placing me is going to be quite difficult." He grinned at her, taking a long drink from the second can.

"Difficult does not mean impossible." Perceptor pointed out, turning around to run her hand over the armor on Drift's front and down to the abdomen, "Such as, you are far too smooth and streamlined to have influences of space-sparked Unicronians."

"Nothing Unicronian about me." Drift leaned into the touch, leaning down to nuzzle her lightly.

Perceptor shifted onto her knees, sitting on them and places her data pads aside for now as she shifted closer, humming in pleasure at the attention from Drift. Both hands were running along his frame, though more purely exploratory then sensual like before.

Drift leaned back, sipping his energon, letting her explore. His armor flared slightly under her hands, warm air puffing out from underneath. Pale blue optics followed her hands across white plating. Her fingers slipped in under the edges of the flared armor now and again as the femmie worked her way back up the mech's chestplate. Perceptor had to lean against him as she traced the lines of his helm next before dropping her fingers to his neck cables, basically doing the equivalent of a neck rub.

The white warrior purred at the touch, his free hand coming up to stroke along her back, tracing her back strut under red plating. Otherwise he held still, letting her inspect his frame.

Perceptor shifted into his touch, humming again as she looked back to the mech's optics. "I am sorry, am I bothering you Drift? I know I tend to get carried away in things..."

Drift shook his head. "You're not bothering me at all, Percy." He managed to purr out the syllables of her shortened name.

"You truly do not?" Perceptor soundly very surprised by this, even Wreckers from other Crews sometimes seemed a little put off by her more 'hands on' approach to new things. Or new members in need of the first check up.

"You can keep right on exploring if you want to." A grin spread over Drift's face. "But it's not my fault if it leads to more of what we did last night."

The femmie's black digits paused on his shoulder, considering before humming in that 'blush' tone for she started up again. "That would not be un-welcomed I dare say..."

The white mech's grin widened. He leaned back against the wall, continuing to lightly stroke the red femme's back, purring softly. There was a soft buzzing feeling of Perceptor's internal scanner, she really wanted to learn about the mech, and not just in body. Yet he was letting her explore that now and Wreckers of any type didn't let chances slip away. The swordsmech was rather curious to see if she could actually guess what armor style he bore. Pale optics watched her hands as they moved across his armor, tracing the lines and smooth planes.

"This may take some time," Perceptor reluctantly admitted, sitting back on her legs a bit.

"I'm not going anywhere," Drift purred, "Though the other Wreckers might come looking for you if you don't appear out of your quarters today."

Perceptor shook her head, "Only Red Alert would do that, and only a bit later... I think. It's hard to tell with her some times."

"I haven't met her yet, so I'll have to take your word for that." Drift finished off the second can of energon, placing it beside the first.

"She's one of the last four mechs trained by Sunray of our generation." Perceptor said, unable to keep pride from her voice, "The same one who trained Senator Ratchet!"

Drift looked bemused. "I haven't really met any of them... I don't travel in those circles. Never did, really. Meeting this Red Alert will be interesting."

"Yes- ah," Perceptor paused and her look turned more sheepish, "If Roadbuster does give the affirmative that you may join the Crew- and I am sure he will- just... do not say 'no' to Red Alert when she orders you to her domain for the exam and first check up... it will not go well if you do that."

"Noted." There was a chuckle in the response.

"I truly do mean that Drift," the red femmie was worried, "Red Alert may not be much taller than I, but she is stronger then she looks as well as not hesitant to call her mate in to 'aid' her in restraining mechs."

Drift nodded. "I will keep that firmly in mind."

With a relieved sigh, Perceptor smiled, "Good, would you like more energon? I wasn't sure how much you need..."

The white mech considered. "I think one more can should do me for the day."

Perceptor reached over, pulling the energon goodies, "Well then, here, you have these and I shall get you another can." She smiled.

"Thank you." Drift picked up another of the goodies, savoring the taste. His optics followed Perceptor across the room.

She took one of the empty cans and retreated out to the main room, returning after a minute with the can full, "Here. I'm very glad each room of the new platform module like this can get energon."

"Can be a good thing when you don't feel like going to the common room for energon," Drift agreed, accepting the can.

"Yes, someone finally realized that they could use the energon lines in this way." Perceptor nodded. "The older sparked platforms have no troubles sharing, and if you start one young in a frame such as this here," The femmie waved lightly around, meaning everything, "There's less problems. It's not unlike the city and ship-formers."

"None of the ships I've ever been on have been sparked," Drift admitted. He shifted. "Originally I was a Decepticon, and they have no sparked ships."

"Mostly the Unicronians, and some splinter factions of the four main groups." Perceptor agreed, at first showing no reaction to Drifts admission, for it wasn't odd for any of the other factions to 'defect' to the level workers. There was always work to be done, Crews to grow or new ones to form once there was a new Foreman.

Drift was slightly thrown by her lack of reaction to his admission to having been a Decepticon. He was more used to being glared at and having mecha withdraw from him once they found out that little detail. "I've never met a cityformer, either."

"Aaahh! Then you should meet Omega- he's a bit trapped in a level but is connected to one of the cities above, Cristal City, so he is never alone. But he always welcomes visitors to his main body." Perceptor chirped happily, "And I know he is in a good mood ever since Hook's Crew finished rebuilding the city after the second Great War."

"Maybe I will, if we're ever in that area." Drift took a long drink of the energon, then slid off the berth to stretch, looking himself over. He would need a quick wash to make himself presentable before the pair ventured back out onto the platform.

Perceptor cleared her intakes, "Ah, yes, I am not an active construction Crew member, so I do not have a personal washing space. There is a rack not far down the hall..." She looked down at herself, and hummed a bit.

Drift looked at the traces of transfluid and lubricant staining his thighs, then fished a rag from subspace, wiping it away. "I think I'm presentable now."

"I do not mind going to the wash rack," Perceptor chuckled, "A shift just started and the other won't end for a little while. We overlap the shifts to keep from missing anything."

"That makes sense." Drift nodded, finishing the last of his energon.

The femmie reached for what was last of her own energon, steadily drinking it down. That seemed to be one of the universal talents of Wrecker-made mechs and femmes, was being able to down and hold energon of any grade. Drift would have to be very careful when the drinking games started.

White armor ruffled as Drift worked a kink out of his circuitry, taking in the details of Perceptor's berthroom. He'd been too preoccupied to really notice the previous night. There wasn't much in terms of all the walls like out in the main room, or desk as she kept work in the labs or office. Though there was one thing that stood out, a panel from some old, old building or something like it. But it had been carefully cleaned, kept clean and the edges rounded. It had ancient glyphs carved into the metal and filled in with crystal.

Perceptor paused in her clean up, watching to see if Drift had a reaction to the glyphs in anyway.

Drift eased closer, peering at the glyphs. His audial finials appeared to twitch.

Perceptor stepped closer, touching the largest glyph that was really two over lapping, "Vector Sigma." She read aloud, "Cybertron's way of giving life... we found this in a collapse in the true deep levels, no one had ever known about it, but it's thought the crystal is from the casing of Sigma. Roadbuster is hiding and protecting this here."

"I've never seen anything like it, but then, I've never really been looking." Drift peered at it with interest.

Reaching to take Drift's hand, Perceptor pushed his palm against the main glyph, "If you're quiet and still in your spark, you can feel the echoes of power that run through Cybertron." The femmie muttered, she had never understood how or why, but any artifact that came from Vector Sigma had this effect.

Drift shifted, then went still, trying to grasp some of the stillness he had learned from Wing during his time with the Knights. It took him a minute or two, but he could faintly feel the echo of power. "I feel it."

"It's fascinating," Perceptor hummed, "Separated from the casing of Vector Sigma- if true, for near a million generations, and it's still connected to the planet." She looked up at Drift, wondering if he would be just that right kind of mech to truly gain the Foreman's trust. If so than perhaps Drift could have the same kind of honor that Wreckers on a whole got maybe once or twice in a lifetime, of seeing either a life pool or a Datum that resting in the chests of the Foremen.

The white mech shook himself, slowly withdrawing his hand. "Amazing."

"Very," Perceptor agreed with her whole spark, "That is why I do not mind it here."

Drift ruffled his armor. "I'm about ready to head to the washrack now, I think."

"Yes, I can show you the way." Perceptor hummed softly, almost shy again as the red femmie added, "And perhaps aid you Drift?"

"I would like that." Pale blue optics sparkled at her. "As long as I get to help you, too."

"I do believe you have a deal sir." The femmie smiled again now, and clasping her hands behind her back turned around lightly on one foot to pace out of her rooms and into the hall.

Drift followed, absently and automatically making sure his swords were in place. His armor puffed a bit as he noted a few red streaks, puffing even more as he glanced at Perceptor, noting matching streaks of white in her finish.

Perceptor seemed to be just noticing them as well, touching one pale streak and rubbed it with a thumb to test. Well, that wasn't going to come off easy, and she knew her Crew mates were keen of optic on this sort of thing. Looking back with new optics she saw her own red and a bit of black on Drift, humming. The white mech grinned at her, lifting one hand to trace one of the red streaks. He seemed more proud of them than anything else.

"Primus you preen as well as a cyber raptor does," Perceptor couldn't help chuckling smiling widening as she watched the mech, while at the same time keeping an optic out for someone in the hall as she led the way to the shared washrack room in this section.

"Is that a bad thing?" Drift flicked his audial finials at her, following her into the washrack.

"I was merely making an observation." Perceptor said as she took a brush off the wall by the door, and moved aside to the nearest open shower nozzle that was at their level. From the looks of the higher ones, there were some very big mechs in this Crew. The solvent solution that came out was warm and thanks to the setting the femmie turned it to, not the harsher grade for getting muck and slivers off a mech. Perceptor crooked her finger at Drift to come over and sit on the stool placed under the flow.

Drift padded over, flicking his hip sheaths gracefully and settling onto the stool, scooping up another brush as he approached. Warm cleanser pattered off his armor, and he flared white plating to let it slide underneath.

Perceptor's hands glided over the back of the mech's shoulders, her fingers checking over this and that almost by habit. Then she started on helping Drift clean, using the softer bush she had taken to his helm first, Perceptor's touch remained light but effective in cleaning around his audial finials and the edges of his helm.

The white mech purred at the touch, leaning into the touches with all the shamelessness of a cybercat. He tilted his helm into her hands, encouraging the touches to his finials. Smaller, slender black hands were able to get under and clean where normally it would be hard, taking away dust and that fine grit that seemed to be everywhere in the mid-levels. White armor fluffed out, allowing her to get at the more hard-to-reach, and the more sensitive, places. Drift leaned into the touches, optics dimming slightly.

Perceptor kept her touch light as she helped him clean, though still helped him get clean, and by the time her brush passed over his legs, the solvent spray had already loosened and softened both the transfluid residue and most of the paint lines, so that it only took a swipe or two between his thighs to clean them.

The swordsmech kept as still as he could manage for the most part, tilting and twisting his frame so she could better reach various pieces of armor. His purr deepened, pale optics lifting to meet hers, his grin widening.

Perceptor smirked back up at him, her semi-transparent visor down to shield her optics from the spray, but after another longer, but still light sweep of the brush, Drift's thighs were clean and she knelt to start on his right hover coil of his alternate mode. Given her medical background Perceptor could gent partly into to clean without hurting the mech.

White armor trembled ever so slightly, Drift shifting to give her better access. His purr was clearly audible even over the sound of falling cleanser on his plating.

The Wrecker kept her touch always soft, always gentle on the sensitive areas as well as others, lingering but never more pressure. It was enjoyable and annoying all at once. A soft whine escaped, Drift leaning into her hands, wordlessly asking for more. White plating quivered, standing almost on end.

"I'm almost done," Perceptor said, her tone amused and unlike Drift could do a far better expression of oblivious innocents as she rose to move to the mech's other leg.

Drift shifted on the stool, letting out another soft whine. Pale optics followed her as she moved.

Perhaps this was the femmie's revenge for the night before?

Perceptor rose again after finishing with Drift's left leg and hover coil. Her brush going over the mech's chest plates again before using a just as soft cloth to lastly clean his face. "Is something amiss?" She asked smiling and looking into his blue optics.

"Tease," the white warrior mock-grumbled, squirming slightly on the stool.

"I dare say that you are just as guilty, if not more so of that accusation." Perceptor pointed out as she swiped the cloth over Drift's lips at the very last. Having been under the spray the whole time herself she was nearly completely clean as well.

The mech chuckled, making no attempt to deny it. "I'm going to get you for that later."

"I have naught the faintest idea of what you are speaking of sir." Preceptor held her head up, doing her slagging well best to mimic the 'noble class.' It lasted few a few perfect seconds before she smirked, the image shattering to be replaced with that Wrecker edge that showed through any of the native faction members, or long term immigrants.

Drift chuckled, ruffling his plating and flicking drops of cleanser everywhere. "You still have white streaks in your finish," he purred.

"And red on you." Perceptor pointed out, "I am an engineer, sniper and platform mangier, but I do not know the subtleties of paints..."

The mech lifted his own brush. "It takes a little... convincing... to get it off." He ran the brush in firm circles over one of the white streaks, until it finally came off.

The femmie braced her hands on Drift's shoulders, holding still as he took his turn to clean.

Drift took his time, working the brush in firm circles over the paint streaks, teasing the edges of armor plates with the bristles. Tilting his hand, he let the bristles slide under the edges of the plates, very slowly sliding the brush along the seams.

Perceptor shivered under his hands and attentions, unable not to for she was truly loving the feel of Drift's touch as well. No one else had ever had as much of an effect on her as this mech did, not either of Perceptor's first two partners at least. Primus the femmie had only known Drift for about the time of a full shift, and didn't want him any place but in her Crew and also to stay with her.

What was this mech?

The last flecks of white came off under his firm brushstrokes. Dark fingers glided across her armor, up to her shoulder, brushing against the cables of her neck. Drift got to his feet, leaning forward to lightly brush his lips against hers. She reached up to grasp the mech's collar ridge in order to pull Drift down a bit more to return the kiss. The sounds of laugher out in a hall started Perceptor into letting go though.

That would be the shift getting off, bee-lining the washracks like their off-shoot faction the Insecticons, to get clean before relaxing.

Drift returned the kiss, growling softly as the sound of other mecha approaching interrupted them. He glanced over to the door, not even trying to hide the still-visible streaks of black and red on his gleaming white armor.


	7. Chatting in the Shower

Story Co-written withUltra Rodimus Prime and Omicron the IceQueen

**Into the Lower Levels**

Chapter 7:

Chatting in the Shower

The doors swished open and a mech that seemed almost too big to be real came stomping in- he had far too much mass to bother being quiet not to mention being tired. Mostly all dark green at first glance, the mech's paint job was far worse for wear once you took a second look. In fact all of the four mechs that came in and all but attached themselves to a nozzle looked more like they came off of a prolonged battle field. These were the construction mechs, the level workers that cared for Cybertron as a planet.

"Do you need aid Bulkhead?" Perceptor called to the first and largest of the mechs.

"Nah, I'm good." The big mech said thumping the wall to trigger three nozzles to turn on over him. "I'll just recharge here..."

"I doubt the washracks are meant for recharging in, though." Drift tilted his head to the side.

"He won't mate, never has," One of the other mechs, more bare silver metal than painted said from where he was picking shavings out of his left wrist joint. The mech paused after a moment to turn back and frown at Drift. "Oy! Who are you with our PM?"

"Name's Drift," the white mech replied, turning fully to face the newcomers. "I'm a swordsmech. I found Percy being harassed by opportunistic slavers on her way upstairs, and once they were dealt with I escorted her to her destination, then back here."

Four sets of green optics eyed him, even Bulkhead had stood back up, then glanced at Perceptor, waiting. There was a near visible protective streak in them, ready and willing to leap into the defense of a weaker Crew member just on her say so.

However the femmie was nodding, "Yes, Drift is also a new recruit pending the Foreman's approval."

"Oh, so he's a rookie?"

"Nah yae' slagger she said recruit," Another blue and green mech reached over to smack the second speaker, "Pay attention! He hasn't met up with old 'Buster yet. Good on yae too lass," he grinned, having noticed the paint still on Drift.

"I am going to get pounced on as soon as one pup in particular spots me," the white mech predicted. "Apparently one adopted me while I was helping Percy load them topside."

"Well, if you've got the approval of the PM and a wolf pup," The green and blue mech said, clapping Drift on the shoulder on the way back over to the brushes, "Can't be all that bad."

"I would care to remind you all," Perceptor cut in over the background talk of a conversation in a sub-dialect of the other two Wreckers, "That I both out rank you and can out shoot you." She stood up right beside Drift and glared, "Behave, or I shall be forced to shoot you in afts." She added in all seriousness.

"Aye ma'am!" The two guilty mechs snapped off salutes while Bulkhead chuckled.

Drift chuckled. "Way to lay down the law, Percy." Dark fingers trailed lightly down the center of her back.

She stood perfectly rigid to keep from shivering. "I am a platform manager, thus a Second." Perceptor really did try not to wibble in front of the other Wreckers, but it was very hard not too with the pale mech's fingers doing interesting things. The white swordsmech's fingers traced her spine again, then he picked up the forgotten brush, teasing at one of the red streaks on his frame, humming to himself. Pale blue optics gleamed at her.

"You are horrid." Perceptor said.

"Ya' liiiike him," Bulkhead teased, picking it up as he did know the red femmie as a friend.

"Of course I do, hush you." Perceptor added as she moved to help Drift.

"And I like her." There was a purr in Drift's voice as he leaned into Perceptor's touch. There was a surprisingly good mimic of a cyber wolf's shot call, the equivalent of a Wrecker giving a cat-call at that. Drift puffed his armor at the sound, leaning forward to press a light, teasing kiss to Perceptor's helm. The "mine" was back in his body language.

There was a pause, as Perceptor rapidly considered everything she could do, what the implication of her actions and Drift's were... The green optics of the Wrecker femmie softened and she kissed the swordsmech back on the lips.

There was dead silence, except for the sounds of hot solvent splashing down on armor and floor. The other mechs that had come in to wash up were staring in shock before three exchanged looks. A soft, "Fraaaag mech." Was spoken lowly, "Never seen Percy take a likin' ta' anyone like that. Not even ol' Ratchet."

"Or Mixmaster." Someone else muttered.

"Stop gossiping about me." Perceptor sighed.

Bulkhead grinned at the two from his spot, "Can't help it."

Drift returned the kiss, wrapping his arms around the red femme. Once they finally came up for air, he grinned over at the others. "I'm not like the other mechs. And I've taken quite a liking to her, too." Dark fingers rubbed light circles over the back of Perceptor's neck.

"Can see that," Bulkhead rumbled from where he was, shaking a bit to loosen the grit in his joints, waiting for his friends to help him once they were mostly done. The massive mech tilted his head, regarding Drift with dark green optics. He looked like he was going to say something, but politely would wait for Perceptor to leave first.

The white swordsmech nuzzled the femme, reluctantly releasing her and picking up the brush to deal with the paint streaks on his armor. He glanced curiously over at the bulky green mech.

Perceptor moved to start to help but paused, one hand lifting to the side of her helm. "What?" She frowned at the communication that only she could hear, paused again to look up at Drift, "I need to yell at someone, I'll be in the hall." She admitted, shooting a look at the other mechs who were partly oblivious. Though Perceptor wasn't fully sure one wasn't responsible, knowing the tactic of calling someone else to in turn call a person you wanted distracted.

Drift nodded. "When I'm finished cleaning up, I'll join you, and you can introduce me to the Foreman." He leaned over for a quick, affectionate nuzzle, watching her leave the room. The red femmie was humming as she left, the sound cutting off as the door closed.

"Don't think I've seen the PM that happy in a long time." Bulkhead said as he pushed off the wall to give himself a full body shake under the sprays, having to drop down partly on his hands and half way transform for the full motion.

"She's quite a femme. I've never met anyone like her before." Drift rubbed at a stubborn streak of black.

"All that's listed on her door?" The blue and green mech pitched in, "Just half of it, Roadbuster has to fight the Autobot High Consul three times a vorn to keep her here. If he wasn't a Foreman that old wanker Sentinel would have taken Percy to the surface a long time ago."

White armor ruffled. "I never liked Sentinel. He's one of the reasons I roam Cybertron's mid-levels rather than joining the Autobots on the surface. Mech's a prick."

"Mech has his helm up his aft!" one of the Wreckers put in, "Real glad lil' Hotrod bit the Prime when he was sparked."

There was laughter at that as the other remembered the story and someone else put in, "Wish I could have seen it, hear say is that the new Prime was holding Sentinel's arm until our lil' red bug was done chewin' on him!"

Drift laughed. "That would have been something to see." The streak of black paint came off, and the swordsmech turned his attention to a large patch of red.

A large finger poked at Drift's shoulder, Bulkhead had finally come over, in his other hand he held something almost lost in his massive clawed digits, "Oy." He said, and as the pale mech would learn the 'Oy' was a general word for the Wreckers, not unlike 'hey.'

The white mech looked up, tilting his head at the bigger mech. "Yes?"

"I can see yea' like Perceptor, she likes yea." Bulkhead said, calm even if the accent was slipping a bit more, "So, don't mind- can guess ya'both had fun this last shift. Don't mind that either."

Leaning down the big construction mech curled the digits of his free hand over Drift's shoulders, chest and torso before Bulkhead hefted the smaller mech up to his level. Completely off the ground. Dark green optics narrowed as his face guard lowered enough for the Wrecker to bare his fangs.

"Don't care if you end up leavin' either. But if you hurt Percy in any way, I'll be the first ta break yea' in five different places before she can shoot ya. Got it?" Bulkhead asked.

The warrior squawked in surprise as he was lifted off his feet, dangling from the big green mech's hand. Pale optics narrowed. "I don't plan on going anywhere. Don't intend to leave. And if it ever happens that I do hurt Percy, feel free to dig out my spark with my own swords." He shifted one sheath, tapping the hilt against Bulkhead's armor.

The big mech cocked his head to the right, looking at Drift long and hard for a click, ignoring the others that had all but plastered themselves on the far wall. Finally Bulkhead chuckled, "I believe ya. Kinda like ya." He said while putting the swordsmech back down, never hurting the whole time and even offered a bottle of pinkish solvent. "And here, this helps with the paint better."

"Thanks." Drift accepted the solvent with a nod. Pale optics flicked up to meet the Wrecker's. "And I always keep my word."

"Good thing to do in a Crew." Bulkhead nodded as he turned to walk back to his spot again, "Oy! Knock that off mechs, I won't run over you for 'Sigma's sake."

"You nearly run over everyone, you did run over Blaster."

"The kid's the size of a sparkling, everyone runs over poor Blaster!" Bulkhead defended, and just like that there was no more underlying tension towards Drift.

Drift chuckled at the banter. "Being a part of this Crew is certainly going to be interesting."

"A true Crew is more than the mechs ya work with." Bulkhead said scrubbing at his helm carefully so not to hurt himself, "Most here found a family too. Some just a mate, or mate, friends. Primus, if it wasn't for this Crew I'd be stuck on a fraggen' energon farm."

"I was a Decepticon once, until I met someone who changed my entire outlook on existence. If it hasn't been for him I'd still be a monster." White armor ruffled and flattened. "Sentinel I want nothing to do with... Maybe here I'll find a new place to belong. And perhaps, a mate." He glanced toward the door Perceptor had gone through.

"Decepticons are all monsters," the blue and green wrecker said, defended, "I know some Kaonites... but you seem to have your head and spark in the right places. Don't see why Roadbuster won't pull ya in. Just be honest with the Foreman, he likes that."

"And sparklings." Bulkhead put in grinning.

"Yeah, well, he's got two younglings. Surprised he and Topspin haven't made like five more..."

Drift looked over at the blue and green mech. "Have you ever heard of a Decepticon by the name Deadlock?"

"Nope, sorry lad." The Wrecker shrugged as he pulled a long sliver of metal out of his frame and sighed, "Was wondering if I had to go to Red Alert for that..."

"If Red Alert knows about Deadlock, you'll hear more than you ever want to." Drift got the last of the paint off himself, inspecting his armor for any more stray traces. "I think I got it all off..."

"Keep the bottle." bulkhead grinned over the interested looks of his friend, "I got more."

"...that's because you're trying to steal Longhaul from Hook's Crew."

"Fraggin' right I am!"

The white swordsmech shook his head. "Yup, it's definitely going to be interesting adjusting to this Crew."

"Any Crew!" was the cheer, and once seeing that Drift was clean, though still damp, two of the mechs pushed him out of the washracks and into the hall. Perceptor stood a door down, optics unfocused as she sorted something out internally or by linking up with the platform's coded network.

Chuckling, Drift let himself be pushed out. Shaking drops of solvent off his plating, he walked down the hall to join Perceptor, tilting his head as he waited for her to finish what she was doing.

She seemed aware of him, starting to come out of it, Perceptor's fingers twitching as if on a key pad before the white-ish glow of her visor faded and it flipped up. "Hmm... Sorry, they didn't bother you too much did they?" Perceptor asked looking up at Drift.

"No, they didn't bother me. The big one helped get the paint off my armor." Drift grinned at her. "They're interesting mechs."

"They do work with the foreman himself most of the time." Perceptor chuckled, reaching out to take Drift's hand, "He tends to attract interesting mechs. No one thought Leadfoot would join a new crew but he did."

Drift took Perceptor's hand, twining his fingers with hers. "The whole crew sounds like it's made up of interesting mechs."

"I can guarantee you will have very few dull moments." Perceptor promised as she started to lead the pale colored mech.

"I look forward to it." A soft purr vibrated Drift's armor as he followed her.

She loved that sound- loved the promise of a night like before under it. Perceptor shook herself as she walked, "I would suggest being honest with the Foreman in the interview, Roadbuster likes it when mechs and femmies are from the start of things."

"I'll be honest," Drift promised. He leaned close enough to brush his shoulder against hers briefly.

Perceptor started humming again at that as they headed to one of the 'official' Officers' Lounges. In honesty it was more like a 'quieter' place, as anyone could go in really. Once there and the doors opened for the two, they saw several mechs there, as well as two smaller younglings piled on top of bare silver mech. One was just about as big as Bulkhead, only not as... bulky, and from the markings on him he was search and rescue leader. Currently sprawled on his back on the floor with an energon cube on his chest, and grumbling about 'wankers from the surface' that have no business being in the lower levels.

Drift looked around with curious interest, ruffling his armor slightly. "I take it this is the rec room equivalent?"

"Er... no," Perceptor admitted as she looked around at those here, "This is far too tame, actually it's why I like it here better. Quieter, and you can hear yourself think."

The white mech tilted his head slightly, looking at the two younglings. "Been a long time since I've seen younglings."

"These are Hotrod," Perceptor walked right over to touch the red helm of one of the two, and then the golden youth, "And Wedge. He is the one here with treads over his hands, Hotrod has the wheels in place of average peds."

"Oy...whadda want wit' my- oh, Percy." The mech the two recharging youths were on top of shifted and looked up at the two. "What time is it?"

"Time to get up Foreman." Perceptor said gently but firmly, "You have an appointment."

"Right! I knew that..."

Drift followed Perceptor over, peering at the two younglings but not touching them. "So you're Roadbuster?"

With the experience of a parent, the silver mech managed to partly sit up, catch his younglings and deposited them both on the couch he'd been sprawled on without wakening them. The Foreman wasn't much bigger then Drift, and stretched his arms over his head before looking back.

"Ayep." He agreed, looking Drift over. All things considering what the Foremen were, the same equivalent rank as a Prime... there really wasn't anything different about Roadbuster. His paint job had long since died, and he had that classic color changing visor of most Wreckers. He didn't tower like the Primes nor purely loom like the Load Protectors, and basically seemed like he was anything but another 'normal' wrecker mech.

The white swordsmech stood there, looking the Foreman over as much as Roadbuster was looking him over. Pale blue optics were level, waiting for the older mech to speak again.

"Yae' got fragged in the good way shiela!" The mech finally laughed, and again as Perceptor slapped at his chest. "It's all good, relax Percy, ya know I love ya lass." He chuckled, having not been able to give up the chance at the tease.

"How could you possibly know?" Perceptor demanded.

Roadbuster shrugged and tapped his chest, "Got the Datum remember shiela? Ya're both giving off the right energy an' I can feel it. Stop standing all stiff an' come sit." He added to Drift, moving over to another chair and table to plop down in.

Drift chuckled, shifting his hip scabbards so he could settle onto the chair. "He's got us pegged already, Percy." He tilted his head toward Roadbuster. "I'm Drift."

"Foreman Roadbuster." The other mech grinned, "Heard from my PM here you want to join my Crew. Any job in particular?"

"I would suggest security." Perceptor said from where she stood near both mechs, her hands clasped behind her back, unsure or who to support more, so going neutral.

"I don't know enough about how a Crew works to even suggest a place," Drift admitted. One audial finial tilted toward Perceptor. "But Security sounds good. I've also been adopted by one of the cyber wolf pups Percy went to pick up, so I will have to learn how to handle a wolf."

"Wolves, foxes and raptors are with security and pest control." Roadbuster nodded, not minding 'losing' one of the cyberwolves, more so if Drift was to stay. "A Crew is broken up into three main sections. Security." He turned and pointed to the big red mech, "Support staff." the silver mech pointed at Perceptor next, and then thumbed at himself, "An' the level workers, construction."

"I've always been a warrior, so security is probably more for me," Drift replied after a moment.

"That involves more than just body guarding," Roadbuster said, wanting Drift to know all before fully agreeing. "Not just the Platform either. I have seven different and active sites working right now. An' pretty much a full Crew, 268 mechs and femmies, plus 59 contractors. Not including the next generation." Roadbuster pointed to his side, at the couch where his two younglings were still conked out.

Drift nodded. "Security for all of them, not just here."

The Foreman nodded, "Ayep. You'll be facing dead space, Empties sometimes, rogues, Pit mechs, and wild critters you've never dreamed of on the surface." He said, wanting Drift to understand the basic risks. "I won't send you out with X-Brawn's teams unprepared though, so you'll spend a few shifts learning about the lower levels first."

"Nothing I haven't encountered before, but the training will be helpful." Drift nodded.

"Roadbuster is very good about training," Perceptor assured as she finally sat down, closer to Drift, "He has never sent a rookie outside until they passed that training and evaluation."

"That's another thing." Roadbuster added as the Foreman sat up, "Right now you're considered a recruit, once you join the Crew, you're a Rookie until you prove yourself. No one, not even other Wreckers come inta my Crew with placed rank."

The white mech snorted softly. "I don't have a rank anyway. Wandering swordsmech. I'll work my way toward any rank within the crew."

The Foreman shugged, "Just lettin' yea know mate." He shifted and pulled something out of subspace. He held it up, showing the Wrecker emblem on the flex-metal sheet, "So, want a run o' yea life Drift?"

White armor ruffled and flared as the swordsmech nodded. "I want this."

Perceptor hummed softly and motioned to what Roadbuster was holding, "Take your new emblem then." She smiled at last, showing her hope that Drift would stay.

"It's temporary until after training and evaluation." The Foreman added, but he was still in good humor, fairly sure Drift would pass everything going off the feeling he was getting from his Datum.

Drift reached out to accept the emblem, running his fingers over it before looking up. "I understand."

Roadbuster chuckled, "Just don't put it on your aft." Perceptor ducked her head and covered her optics, groaning as the leader of the Wreckers burst out laughing. "Yea're never goin' to live that down shiela!"

Drift laughed, started putting the insignia on the front of his spaulder. "I sense a story behind that."

"I was over charged." Perceptor defended herself, "Blasted drinking games of Wreckers."

"Oy, ya're a Wrecker." Roadbuster pointed out, grinning.

"I am well aware Foreman."

The bare silver mech's grin widened at Drift, "Off shift now mate, have fun, see you at the lower decks at next shift!"

"Once I learn my way around this place, otherwise I'm likely to take a wrong turn," Drift tossed back with a chuckle. "Drinking games, huh? Anything like Decepticon drinking games?"

"I've never played any." Perceptor sighed, looking up as the amused Foreman put a hand on her helm while he got up to leave. "So I cannot compare with any accuracy"

"Decepticon drinking games usually involve weapons and loud brawls before long." Drift shrugged. "And lots and lots of hideously off-key singing."

"...that is disturbingly normal sounding." Perceptor sighed again, leaning back in her seat to look up at the ceiling. "Only it's more saws, claws and some random objects then energy weapons."

"Does half the crew end up in the medbay listening to the medic ranting his head off afterward?" Drift lifted an optic rim.

"Not half," the red femmie sat up, "And most all of the level workers have enough medical knowledge, so long as no lines are cut. Besides, Red Alert is normally in the center of things to start with. So it's not uncommon for her to pawn off her minions to the masses while nursing her own hangover."

Drift chuckled. "Sounds interesting." He leaned toward Perceptor.

She looked back at him, seeming to be more relaxed then the day before... or rather the shift before. "Here," The femmie reached out to take the flex metal sheet, rising to stand beside Drift, "Where do you want to put this, sir Drift?"

"Right here." Drift tapped the front of his spaulder. "It won't show in my vehicle mode, but it will be visible in root mode."

Perceptor moved closer to start putting the new emblem on his shoulder, flipping a tool out of her arm to use the heat of it to bond the flex metal to the armor. As it melded on the flex metal went transparent with the heat, leaving the green emblem to stare out into space. Perceptor's slender fingers smoothed over the spot a few times before she moved her hands lower.

Drift watched as the insignia was applied, his engine turning over and rumbling softly. Pale optics lifted to meet Perceptor's. Her green gaze met his, and Perceptor was debating on trying to drag Drift away as the Foreman had hinted at. Though he did need to learn at least the basics of the platform... and come to think of it, how to access the network that boosting coms and let one tap into maps.

The white mech's engine purred. As quick as he could manage, he swooped in to deliver a light peck on the cheek, then straightened, a teasing grin on his face.

Perceptor's black fingers skittered over the connection of hip and sheath on Drift's side before stepping back and turning, "Well, shall we see Red Alert now?"

"Good luck mate." Roadbuster called from where he was picking up one of his younglings.

"It would be good to see as much of the platform as possible, otherwise I just know I'm going to get lost." Drift stood, ruffling and resettling his armor.

"You will need to know how to get to medical." Perceptor said, pausing by the big form of Inferno to nudge at him, but finding he was now in recharge. Sighing at that, the femmie left him there to be pestered by others later, "This way."

Drift ghosted past Inferno, giving the big mech a sideways look as he passed. "Some mechs take advantage of the relative quiet to nap in here, hm?"

"If they make it here," Perceptor chuckled, "I can guarantee that after your first full shift, when X-Brawn lets you go, you will be recharging before you can take in energon." She looked back at Drift, "And we should find you a room that is agreeable to you Drift."

"Any empty rooms near yours?" Pale optics flicked in her direction.

"There is one yes." Perceptor nodded, "Not as large of a main room though."

"Might be spending more time in your room." Those pale optics sparkled.

Ah, there was that thrill like feeling back, it made Perceptor stand more upright and her energy field flexed with small ripples of not so repressed excitement. "That I think would be very agreeable to me." she said pausing at a lift door.

"I like the sound of it as well." Drift's energy field rippled against hers, his engine still purring as he watched her.

Perceptor leaned into the mech this time, reaching out to take one of his hands. "I should give you the codes to the platform network before seeing Red Alert."

Drift curled his fingers around hers. "Sounds like a plan."

"It should be enough time in the lift," She said, paused and added, "If you do not mind a hard line link Drift...?"

"Just be careful... I have some nasty firewalls left over from my time with the 'Cons," the larger mech warned.

"It's not a hack, or like it," Perceptor said as the lift door opened, and seeing no one inside she walked backwards into it, pulling Drift with her. "Though intimate, it is the best way to learn by watching how I access the network." It was true enough, though not the only way it was one of the easier.

The white mech extended his arm, an armor panel folding back to expose the connection point. "I have no objections to a hardline, then."


	8. To the Medic's lair

Story Co-written withUltra Rodimus Prime and Omicron the IceQueen

**Into the Lower Levels**

Chapter 8:

To the Medic's lair

The red femmie waited until Drift was in the lift and the doors closed again before covering his arm with hers. The cable not overly long but it worked non the less, at once there was a connection she could sense Drift at another level, as he would be able to see and feel her. Perceptor was a different kind of strength, with the ability to split her attention and awareness in several different ways once 'working.' In general she wasn't quiet soft like some femmies, but in the background was a colder and sharper logical part of her mind that Perceptor used when she had to snipe, yet she wasn't cruel in any way.

-Can you hear me?- Perceptor asked.

-I hear you.- There was steel underlying Drift's voice, as cold and sharp as the swords he carried but there was also a gentleness that tempered the cold steel.

Perceptor hummed softly before nudging the mech a bit, not to trigger any firewalls, -Watch.- She said, and turned part of her mind away to start a link up with the Platform. Opening the main gate to him, showing how to link as well as the codes.

The white mech hummed softly, verbally and through the link, watching and learning.

She tugged Drift closer to the network, and waiting for Drift's reaction to being near the network that was almost like a whole other, larger mind. Not quite aware, but partly alive in a way as well, the platform turned its own attention to the new mech. -She won't hurt you.- Perceptor assured.

Drift hummed again, easing closer. -'She'?-

-Platforms are called femmies until sparked, then the pronoun is whatever it wants to be.- Perceptor explained, -It's the same as with space ships.-

-Ahh.- Drift regarded the semi-sentient mind of the platform. -And how does a platform become sparked, might I ask?-

-Either sparked from other platforms, city or ship formers,- Perceptor said, watching her home platform nudge at Drift before settling back down. -Or if you get just the right energy mix from a pair.-

Drift responded to the nudge with curiosity, but nothing else. -Ahh.-

It took a few moments, but as Perceptor was the platform manager that was inviting Drift into the network, the semi aware platform reached out for the pale colored swordsmech again. This time it wasn't a nudge but an opening, letting him into the network as well as offering up a new set of codes for him to use instead of Perceptor's.

Drift hung back for a moment before coming forward, sliding into the network. He absorbed the codes, murmuring a 'thank you' as he poked around, exploring the network, getting a basic feel for it. It was much bigger than first glimpsed, and without Perceptor, but the platform seemed to be waiting while at the same time having some basic things waiting for him. The ways to both the maps of the different decks and the communication system were offered to start with. On the maps some places were highlighted like the several medical bays, bridge, core, loading docks and factories sections as well as rooms of officers.

It was the maps Drift went for first, wanting to avoid getting lost trying to navigate the platform. Only once he had the maps in his navigation system did he look at the communications system. -Seems fairly straight-forward.-

-It is once you are in,- Perceptor agreed, smiling, -All out bound coms are over seen by a Sound Master, ah, a communications officer though as a warning.-

-I have no one I would want to contact on the outside,- Drift replied absently, still exploring the system cautiously.

-It does not hurt to tell you.- Perceptor said, knowing that there were few sealed sections in the network, and those had the Foreman's glyph on them, as well as some having a time stamp of when they were to be opened to the public. From older such things like them, those were jobs for the Crew to do.

-That is true.- Drift withdrew from the network, his thoughts hovering near Perceptor's.

The red and black femmie looked up into his optics again, her arm still resting on his with fingers lightly grasping Drift's forearm while her thought were a bit more active. Unsurprisingly her thoughts did keep flickering back to the night before, and the fact that she had a whole shift off... Pale optics flicked over to meet her green, the impression of a broad grin flicking from his thoughts to hers. The white mech shifted, easing closer to the femme.

"You are very distracting." Perceptor said aloud, but gave a small smile herself, stepping closer, and unable to help running the fingers of her free hand over the side of the mech's hip. His nearly exotic armor design still baffled her.

The white warrior flashed her a troublemaking grin, his armor puffing out slightly. "In a good way, I hope."

"For now, yes, very good." Perceptor paused and then added, "As long as the results are much the same as last time, though preferably with less awkwardness on my part, and blurting of things."

A laugh echoed in the lift at that, "Sounds good to me." Drift wrapped one arm around the femme, his engine purring.

Perceptor gently yet deftly disconnected the linking line between them before it was jarred to hurt both of them. She leaned against the mech's armor, fingers exploring what she could as the lift started to slow to a stop. Though not the fastest of lifts, these were smooth and could hold more weight in them.

Drift purred, running his fingers along the edges of her armor as if memorizing the planes and angles. His own armor puffed further, allowing her fingers to touch the more sensitive wiring underneath. Her slender digits slipped under, searching for the smaller clusters of sensors. In a way it was as much of a tease as she could do at the moment, as much as she dared. Perceptor really didn't want to show up in her friend's domain revved up and with a mech nearly ready to pounce. Red Alert would never let her hear the end of it.

The touch drew a deeper purr from the bigger mech. Dark fingers traced lightly over her helm, sliding down to cup her cheek lightly. Pale optics met green for a moment, and then Drift leaned down to deliver a light kiss, promising more later. Perceptor reached out with one hand to grasp at his collar ridge, returning the kiss and mentally planning on holding Drift to the silent promise. A bit shy or not most of the time, she was still a Wrecker.

"I believe this is our stop." Perceptor said as the lift doors started to open.

"Lead the way." Drift released her with clear reluctance, stepping back to allow her to leave the lift first.

This time, Perceptor didn't hesitate to grasp Drift's hand as she started out again, knowing by spark the way to the main medical bay, "I hear Red Alert already," She said with a sigh, and Perceptor could guess that it was more than likely that some of the last intake of Rookies were didn't fare as well as they thought once out working on a level.

White audial finials twitched. "I'm guessing that all medics take classes in how to chew out their patients. It seems to be a universal ability."

"Hmm... I believe you are right, though Red Alert got most of it from her former mentor." Perceptor agreed, "She's not nearly as bad as Senator Ratchet though."

"Heard of Ratchet. Never met him personally," Drift peered in the direction the ranting was coming from.

Perceptor walked right over to a set of open double doors, stopping just short as a smaller minibot came flying out, twisting in time to land without crashing. "Impressive Blaster." She praised.

The tiny mechling preened after scrambling out of the way, "Thanks Percy! Red's all yours, the others ran out the other doors."

Drift peered at the mechling. "So this is Blaster, hm?"

He was sliver with highlights of gold and red on his small frame. At first glance looking like a sparkling but there was something a little older about him. "That's me my mech! Future Sound Master of the platform and nothin' less mate!"

The white warrior tilted his head to the side. "I can see why the others were commenting about you getting run over. You're small."

"I don't have to be big," Blaster grinned, and scrambled lightly up until he was sitting in a crouch on Drift's right shoulder, "Just quick, and able to do many, many things at once in here." He tapped his head and then chest.

"A point," Drift acknowledged. He tilted his head. "That all those complex systems can be packed into that tiny frame is still amazing, though."

"Gotta love Wrecker-tech and Perceptor there." Blaster said, grinning around Drift's head at the femmie, "She helped build my frame and my head."

"I do love challenges," Perceptor said softly.

"That would explain it." Drift nodded. He flicked a grin at Perceptor. "And I'd guessed as much."

"Stop yabbering in the hall!" Another femmie's voice yelled from just out of sight.

"And that's my cue to run away!" Blaster yelped in gleeful mock fear, sliding down Drift's side, and then bouncing off his sheathed sword and running off down the hall.

Drift blinked after the small mech, then looked at Perceptor. "I assume that's Red Alert."

The red femmie grinned, "Yes it was." She said as Perceptor stepped forward to round the corner of the door to walk into the medical bay. Like so many others it was clean, near sparkling as the one inside was scrubbing a berth for the next mech to come in for whatever reason.

This other femmie was taller than Perceptor by a head or so, just able to look Drift right in the optics. Red Alert did have the classic paint job of a medic, bright red on white with crosses on her shoulders and back. But unlike Perceptor this femmie was able to transform as well as being both armored and armed. Two pistol on her hips (stunners) as well as what might be a smaller hand held cannon on her back between two sets of winglets.

"Percy! Long time since you've been down here sheila," Red Alert greeted, the hostility from before fading a bit, and then she took in Drift. Arching an optic ridge at him and smirking in the way of one really liking the look of another.

The white mech's armor ruffled, closing tighter to his frame as he followed Perceptor inside. Pale optics narrowed ever so slightly as he took in the medic. The smirk made Drift shift his weight, leaning closer to Perceptor.

Red Alert had keen optics, the pale green flicking between the two, noting the mech's stance and the... relaxed Perceptor. "HAH!" She 'said,' pointing at the shorter femmie, "I told you! You just needed to find the right mech."

"Red Alert!" Perceptor took a scandalized tone.

"Like you haven't seen me and Inferno after a good off shift." the medic grinned, "What can I do you two for?"

Drift blinked. "I think I'm missing something here." He looked from Red Alert to Perceptor and back.

"Red Alert has scanners that are not so legal on the surface." Perceptor said, "Very powerful, able to pick up on many things."

"Like the charge you're both giving off." Red Alert grinned as she leaned back on the foot of one of the berths, "Don't worry, I'm a professional medic. And I have a mate so molestation rates are low." She wanted to see how well this new mech would react to her sense of humor.

Drift snorted. "Good to hear."

"Drift," Perceptor partly introduced and partly explained, "Is here for his first physical and check up, he's joining the Crew."

"New energon?" Red Alert pushed herself back up, "At least he seems sensible. Pick a berth and hop on, weapons on the berth next to the one you pick please."

White armor fluffed as Drift made his way toward one of the berths. Unsheathing both of his hip swords, he placed them aside, but hesitated before removing the Great Sword from his back.

"Any others?" the medic asked, prodding Perceptor into helping by fetching some things as Red Alert checked under the berth at the fluids there. "Hmm... odd armor."

"I only carry swords," the white warrior replied, watching the medic.

"A swordsmech? Not many of those seen nowadays." Red Alert commented, but sounded impressed as she finished the first round of scans, "You need some of your lines flushed out, where's your ports- oh here." The red and white femmie tapped Drift's side, but letting him take his time in opening his armor.

White armor shifted out of the way, pale optics following Red Alert's every move. "I am aware that swordsmecha are few these days, though it helps in that most others underestimate us."

"As with medics," Red Alert muttered, hooking the mech up and moving to catch his hand, starting on checking him over physically, her words turning to a hmm as she got to work. Repairing anything no matter how small and with Perceptor back the two also did a deeper cleaning of joints and some systems. Drift squirmed now and then, not having had some of his joints cleaned or serviced in quite some time.

"You can go into recharge if you want," Perceptor said, trying to reassure, "And you won't have to do this every check up,"

"No you don't," Red Alert confirmed, "Though if you're out in the levels you will want to keep up on being clean when you can so not to lock up out there."

"Might as well get it over with. Doubt I'll be able to recharge, though." Drift shook his helm.

"Once you're used to it maybe." Red Alert chuckled, "Level workers pass out all the time when getting a cleaning, nearly got X-Brawn out once."

"It likely won't be until well after I'm more used to it." Drift's armor ruffled, "When I was a Decepticon, one never recharged in the presence of a medic unless they were asking for trouble."

"Oh really now?" Red Alert didn't pause in her work as she eyed the mech, "And who would these medics be?" She asked, and for the second time there was almost no reaction to Drift admitting to being a Decepticon.

"Half of them I only knew by what other 'Cons called them, but they were rude and not above experimenting on a mecha who didn't keep a careful optic on them." Drift eyed Red Alert right back.

"I am sure you will get their names Red Alert," Perceptor put in, "But please be careful not to dig your claws in the patient yes? Drift has done nothing to annoy you personally yet."

"...right." Red Alert retracted her claws and continued.

Drift shifted away from Red Alert, eying those claws. "Good luck finding them; most of them weren't on Cybertron."

"I still have contacts in the Unicronians," Red Alert gave a sound like sniffing as she took Drift's leg and nudged it back into place as she continued on his hip. "You'll be a bit more sensitive after this, without the grit and grime in the way... should give you a few gear crabs..."

"That may not be wise." Perceptor hurriedly put in.

"A few what?" Drift pulled back, eying the medic suspiciously.

"Gear crabs." Red Alert frowned, taken aback that Drift didn't know. "Mechs down here use them all the time."

"Gear crabs are symbiotic mecha creatures." Perceptor farther explained her voice soothing, "They're perfectly harmless to the host mech or femmie."

"I've never heard of them." White armor clamped tight to Drift's frame. Perceptor yelped, fingers caught in his armor. That made Red Alert swat Drift on the chest and order him to loosen up again. Drift's armor loosened again. The white mech turned an apologetic gaze on Perceptor, lifting his hand to brush against hers.

"Do try not to do that again, either of you." Perceptor pleaded, allowing her friend to check her hands over for any damage, thankfully there wasn't. "And you will not be forced to take or use any of our more interesting preventative measures Drift." The red and black femmie added, folding her hands over Drift's and letting the medic finish.

"I definitely have a lot to learn about life down here." Drift forced himself to relax.

"I'm sure Percy here will be happy to go over it with you." Red Alert said, and inwardly grumbling about gear crabs being perfectly normal as she continued to clean the mech.

Slowly, white armor panels lifted, though Drift kept an optic on Red Alert. "No weird things added to my systems, please."

"I won't add anything," Red Alert said, tapping one of his armor plates before slowly reaching in again, mindful of her own fingers just in case, "We're just cleaning your systems out."

Drift shifted ever so slightly. "Thank you. It will take some time before I adapt enough to allow anything to be added. I'm fine as is."

"You will be better after this," Perceptor said, her black fingers tracing over the mech's frame before going back to work.

"I'll certainly be cleaner than I have been in a while," the white warrior replied, leaning into the red femme's hands.

"Oh, trust me," the medic chuckled, "If you end up working outside of the platform, you should get a full cleaning every decacycle, if not twice." Red Alert nodded at the other femmie, "I'm sure you can arrange a more personal experience."

"You're horrid sometimes Red." Perceptor said in a deadpan.

"So can you with that light touch of yours."

"If I end up in security, which is very likely, I'll probably end up everywhere at some point. And that doesn't sound too bad." One pale optic winked at Perceptor.

The red and black femmie hummed, seeming to get a little flustered as she worked, Perceptor looked back down at what she was doing. Her hand slid in under the edges of the panels, the pads fallowing small grooves that let the armor interlink. "We will have to arrange something."

Drift's grin widened. He leaned into Perceptor's hand, still watching Red Alert. Every now and then a twitch would run through his frame as more muck was evicted from his internals.

"Almost done," Red Alert said as she carefully worked on one of Drift's knee joints, "Perceptor, start on cycling out his coolant lines and others minor lines... Drift?" she paused.

"Hm?" Pale optics blinked at her.

"Are you aware you have a pick in your knee?" Red Alert asked, baffled as she pulled out a slender tool used for picking old level locks and holding it up for Drift to see.

Drift blinked at it. "How the slag did that get there?" He looked from the pick to his leg and back.

"I'm not sure, but from the position it was skillfully placed." Red Alert turned the silver tool over in her hands, looking at the pronged edge. She leaned back to offer the tool to the mech.

"I don't recall anyone ever trying to use one of those on me." Drift took it, looking it over carefully.

"It was on the support strut," Red Alert said, motioning to the mech's right leg, "I bet the emblem on my aft that you can reach it once everything is clean."

An optic rim lifted. "You have an emblem on your aft?"

At that, Perceptor leaned forward and hid her face against Drift after making the last connection for the lines from the wall, sweeping under the berth and then up to stay out of the way. She gave a small groan as Red Alert laughed before turning to show the mech.

"Thanks to Percy here, yes I do!"

The other optic rim went up. Drift glanced at Perceptor, then at Red Alert. "There's a story there, I can tell."

"It's what happens when you finally get that femmie there overcharged. Doesn't happen often so Perceptor-emblem art in odd places is very rare." Red Alert laughed as she teased and watched her friend to her best to hide in Drift's armor.

Drift laughed at that. "So you're one of the playful drunks, hm?" He ran his hand down Perceptor's back.

"That may be the best way of putting it," Perceptor said, lifting her head, though was trying to 'hide' behind her visor.

A dark hand kneaded the back of her neck, "Interesting." There was a grin tugging at the corners of the warrior's mouth.

"No ideas from you that are less than honorable." Perceptor ordered in her best 'I am a Platform Manager' tone. She pretended she really didn't lean into the mech's kneading fingers, no sir she did not do that in the slightest. Some part of her mind also pointed out that no matter what Drift had in mind, the femmie would be inclined to at least try. For the sake of studying another's culture if nothing else.

Really.

"Who, me?" The proverbial halo was almost visible over Drift's helm. His pale blue optics were wide and innocent.

Too bad that proverbial halo was only able to stay up by the mech's audio finals. Perceptor reached over to poke at one as if reminding him of that fact while the medical officer was muttering again as she worked down to Drift's ankle joint. Perceptor moved to finish 'her' side of the mech after a moment. Chuckling, Drift settled back to let them finish. In truth, he was feeling much better than he had in quite a while, with the muck out of his systems. Continuing to knead whatever part of Perceptor was in reach, he waited for them to finish.

By the time everything was done, the pale mech was as clean on the inside as his paint job shined. A battery of scans, some minor repairs (nothing greater than some lines showing signs of stress, but enough of them to make Red Alert twitch before changing them out), a full set of lock picking tools found and one random dare to see if Drift had that minor control to go cross-opticed later...

Red Alert announced that Drift was in far better shape leaving her than coming; and if he came back, the mech had better have a fragging good reason or he would find out just what the medical officer could do with her mate's ladder. Then both Drift and Perceptor were shoved out of the main medical bay to make room for the incoming appointments.

Drift blinked at the door. "That was... interesting. Is she always like that?"

"More or less," Perceptor nodded, paused to add with a cringing wince and a shudder, "She is not jesting about the ladder... it is not pretty."

"I'll take your word for that." Drift eased away from the medbay doors.

The red femmie reached out to take Drift's hand and tug him away before her friend yelled at them for blocking the closed door. "What would you like to do now?"

Drift was about to reply when something farther down the corridor caught his attention. "Looks like we have a hitch-hiker." He pointed to the dark gray magneto-lizard scuttling along the ceiling toward them.

"That is new," Perceptor said, instantly her attention on the creature, then worried, "Oh I hope it does not go in to medical...or get caught by the raptors and foxes..."

The white mech walked toward it, the creature pausing to watch him. Fishing a small energon treat from subspace, he held it toward the ceiling, hoping to coax the magneto-lizard down. The creature must have been hungry; no sooner was Drift's hand in reach than he had a magneto-lizard clinging to it, gnawing on the treat.

"Are they tame, or reasonable with being handled?" Perceptor asked, edging closer but keeping her hands low so not to startle the magneto-lizard. "I am not very comfortable seeing such a little thing being on the Platform with the Cyber-Wolf training starting soon..."

"They're kept as pets all the time topside," Drift answered, turning to show her the creature. The magneto-lizard clung to his hand with all six legs, chewing on the energon treat, trying to bite off more than its mouth could hold. Yellow optics watched both the mech and the femme, but it didn't seem to consider either of them a threat.

Perceptor pulled out one of the containers that had her home-made energon goodies. Taking one out and slipping the container back into subspace, the femmie reached out after crushing the small ball into smaller crumbs in her palm, trying to coax this new creature into her gentle hands.

The magneto-lizard paused in its chewing, watching her. Then it hoovered up the rest of the energon treat Drift had offered it and launched itself from his hands to hers. As it landed Perceptor could feel the magnets in its feet latching onto her armor.

"Fascinating..." The femmie muttered, keeping her hand still and letting her visor glow a little brighter as it started to scan. At the same time Perceptor's other hand came up under the first, paused and wondered if she had any more containers. Or would the creature gorge itself and start sleeping like cyber-raptor would if feeling safe?

The magneto-lizard was more interested in the food than anything else. Drift chuckled as it made short work of the crushed-up treat, licking even the hints of energon from Perceptor's hand before beginning to poke around for more. Yellow optics fixed on her visor, the thick tail switching from side to side slightly.

"I have more in my lab little one, but you shall have to be good and ride along with me," The femmie said, knowing very well that most all of the native life were intelligent. Maybe not completely sentient but still intelligent to different points.

That got her a tilt of the head, then the little creature went back to exploring her hands, picking tiny crumbs of energon out of armor seams.

"I think you just got yourself a pet," Drift noted, watching.

"I have no problems with another." Perceptor beamed up at the mech, offering her other hand to the lizard to have another place to go to and stay interested as the red femmie started to walk again, "Do you mind stopping by my labs Drift?"

"Not at all." Drift followed her, watching as the magneto-lizard crawled over onto Perceptor's other hand, clinging to her palm and lazing there.

She ran a finger tip over the back of the lizard's back, cradling the hand it was on near her frame, "The lab I think this little one should live is in the upper decks." Perceptor considered, "since we're going up, would you like to start from the top and back down to the bay were the pups are?"

"Sounds good. I'll be all over this platform eventually, so getting the full tour would be a good thing." The white mech nodded.

In Perceptor's hand the magneto-lizard settled down, blinking slowly as she stroked along its back. It seemed quite content to just sit in her palm and not move.

Maybe, just maybe they would revisit a room on the tour. Perceptor didn't say that aloud though as she smiled at Drift and stepped into the lift again, "As you will be working with X-Brawn, he'll be sending you all over the place at first."

Drift chuckled. "No doubt." He followed her into the lift.


	9. Pets and Vets

Story is Co-Written between Ultra Rodimus Prime and Omicron the IceQueen!

**Queen's notes:** And thus, we see what the transformers have as pets again! Drift really is going to have his hands full with his new puppy XD

**Into the Lower Levels**

Chapter Nine:

Pets and Vets

"Here we are, bay 21," Preceptor said as she keyed in the code to open the door, and made a dive for a pale furry blur that rushed out and smacked right into Drift's leg with a yip.

The white warrior squawked in surprise, arms wind-milling as he lost his balance. Metal clattered loudly as Drift ended up on his aft, wondering what the Pit had just happened. Something small, but big enough hopped up onto his leg, and then over to Drift's hip strut. The silver puppy scrabbled as she slipped to fall into the space between the mech's hip and scabbard with a whine of protest, wanting to be up on his chest and thus able to lick at Drift's face instead.

Drift spluttered slightly, levering himself back up to a sitting position and pointedly ignoring the laughter from the other mechs in the area, "Hello again to you, too." He picked up the pup.

"I do believe that pup truly loves you," Preceptor said, trying to be politer than the other Wreckers by not laughing, or at least not too loudly. She grinned though and lifted her visor up again to watch as the puppy cyber-wolf wiggled and attempted to stretch out to get Drift's face with a long tongue.

"It's certainly very attached to me." Drift petted the pup, scratching behind furry ears.

"Extremely," Preceptor agreed, crouching down on her heels beside the mech as another, dark green mech came over to poke his head out of the still open door.

"So that's why she wanted out." He commented, blue optics bright as the mech grinned. "Was wondering why the little thing wasn't bonding with a trainer, already did."

"She all but pounced on me the first time she laid optics on me," Drift replied. "When Percy and I were up above retrieving the shipment. I was told this little ball of fluff accepted me as an alpha."

"You had the right combination of scent and color I say." The green and grey mech said coming out and kneeling down, "You're not silver but close enough to her color, and probably smell like you're from her region." The mech sniffed himself, thoughtfully going over what he could pick up.

"I really have no idea." Drift climbed to his feet, trying to hold onto the wriggling silver pup. "If you don't hold still, I might drop you."

"Rub the belly." Perceptor reminded at the same time the other mech said that.

Drift looked from Perceptor to the green mech, and then did so, sliding one hand under the pup to run his fingers through her belly fur. The puppy gave one more flail, paws twitching before giving a silly puppy grin and started to calm down. Relaxing in Drift's hold, she gave a happy sound, ears tipped up at the mech she wanted.

The white swordsmech had to smile at the creature. "Once I'm finished learning my way around this place, then I'll have to start learning to handle this little critter."

"I'm doing classes until this batch get big enough to leave the bay with whoever they bond with." The green mech said, giving Drift a half salute before offering his hand, "Name's Hound, contracted trainer and tracker. As well as pest control."

"Drift, swordsmech," the white mech replied. He looked at the happy pup. "I suspect there will be much whining and moping until this furball is big enough to go with me."

Hound chuckled, "That won't be long, she's pretty big already and cyber wolves do grow fast." He explained, glancing at Preceptor who was nodding in agreement. "Since she's bonded so fast and well, I'd say if you're up to it, you can take her in about three or four shifts, that way the vets will have plenty of time to catch any stray viruses and give her and the rest updated shots for living down here. You'll need to puppy proof your room though."

"Since I've never had a pet of any kind before, I'll need some tips on how to do that. Otherwise Percy might make me sleep on the floor if her projects get chewed up." A white audial finial tilted toward Perceptor.

Hound chuckled as he produced a toy from subspace, flipping it towards the pale mech. "Here, give her this, each pup gets a toy that's just their own for training and play. And chewing"

Drift caught the toy, examining it before stashing it for later. "So, when do the training classes start?"

"Soon as you're willing and ready," The green mech grinned, and then gave a light bark, the sound getting an echo from the room before a big short-furred and brown colored cyber wolf trotted out. With a wagging tail he ignored Drift, Perceptor and the young silver pup before laying down in front of Hound.

"A day or two, then, I think," the white swordsmech replied after a moment. "I only got here yesterday; I'm still learning my way around."

The other mech nodded, "No problem, but if you're going to keep the pup, you need to spend as much time as possible." Hound added as he reached out to rub the ears of his wolf. "Like this boy here, I was hand feeding him since I found him."

At a hand motion the wolf rolled over, giving a doggy grin as he went through a set of silent commands before Hound flipped an old and well used toy to him

The pale mech nodded. "I'll keep that in mind." He scratched behind the pup's ears, watching her tail going a mile a minute.

"I do not think you have a problem with the 'come' command though." Perceptor couldn't help but comment, resting on of her hands lightly on the back of Drift's shoulder and petting the puppy.

"I think the problem will be with the 'stop' command," Drift quipped, chuckling. "If she can knock me over now, I dread when she gets bigger."

Hound rose up, holding a hand up and giving Drift a pointed look, "Get this sound," he gave a growling '_harrup_!' bark that had his wolf and the pup pausing what they were doing. "Get that down, and you're well on your way."

Pale optics narrowed. "Can you do that again?"

The green mech did, though he didn't slow down as it would take the meaning away. "I'll go over that and a few other things with you, but if you practice, do it where wolves and foxes can't hear you. Needs to growl and be sharp, but no engine sound in it."

Drift made a careful record of the noise. "Probably in the quarters I share with Percy. It keeps me from being bowled off my feet every time this little ball of fuzz sees me, it's something I definitely need to know."

"Wild stock, she'll be bigger than Rag-Jaw here if given good energon and crunchies." Hound grinned, patting his hip to let his wolf hop up and rest his forelegs up on his shoulder and grinning a lopsided lupin smile, "This is what you'll want with her. Gonna be fun between _your_ training."

"Most definitely going to be fun," Drift tilted his head to the side as the pup wriggled, trying to lick his face. She gave him a puppy grin, but seemed a little calmer now after the two barks from Hound. One too-big paw reached out as if trying to grab at his armor to get closer. "I'm assuming I'll have to leave her here until she's trained enough to come with me?" Pale optics turned to Hound.

"Nope, just until she has her shots." Hound grinned, "Like I said before, spend as much time as passable- that involved cuddles."

"And puppies tend to play hard and pass out fast and long." Perceptor pointed out, smiling as Rag-Jaw came to her for pets.

Drift chuckled. "I can play hard." His grin had an edge of mischief to it. Turning his attention to the pup, he tilted his head. "Now what am I going to call you? I can't just keep saying 'hey, you!' all the time."

"You could," Hound made a face, "Not very good though, try to keep it simple and easy for her to remember, since if you're working with X-brawn and if he's still the same that mech will want you to use her on job. Lots of orders."

"Hmm." Drift looked the pup over, tickling her belly and watching her paws twitch. One white spaulder rose in a brief shrug. "'Silver'. Short and easy to remember."

"Not many are her color, so easy to point out." Perceptor added, she tilted her head, "How long for the vets to show up?"

"They're hear, maybe if Drift here flashing his armor and asks nicely, they can do little Silver sooner." Hound grinned

The warrior snorted. "Me, nice? Maybe." He peered around Hound, looking into the room Silver had come flying out of.

There were many mechs and some femmies, most all had that over-warn or scared look to paint jobs to suggest they were level workers. Some had full grown wolves with them as well as the new puppies, but there were also adult and fluffy turbo-fox kits mixed in to the group. A third type of cyber beasts were seen as Hound gently herded drift and Perceptor into the bay, quick, smaller than the foxes, but glowing from their own light, balanced on two legs with a large tail and a crest on the back of the head, the cyber-raptors were still able to jump to shoulders of standing mechs.

"Pest control, first warning and hunting aids," Hound started, grinning, "What you see here are Wreckers' main critters for those things."

"First time I've seen cyber-raptors staying relatively still." Drift looked them over with interest as he walked slowly over to the large group. "And those are their new handlers, hm?"

"The raptors?" hound looked, "Oh, no, not those ones. They've been bonded with these mechs for a long time- you get into raptors and wolves, you're really committed to it." He motioned to one of the two largest raptors, getting a glare and a flash of blue and red for getting too close to her person, "Hey Twin Twist, bring your queen over here."

"I meant the critters in general." Drift tilted his helm toward the other wolf pups and fox kits. He shifted a bit closer to Perceptor, one hip sheath flaring out until it touched her armor. "Queen? The raptor?"

"Yeah, they're the smartest, and hardest to find," Hound nodded as the mention Twin Twist came over. "And the kits were adopted last week, the pups in the neck few days."

The white flier grinned, "Getting a pup too?" he asked Drift while holding his arm up and out in front of him, "Come on Patter, be nice and say hello to the mech." Twin Twist said in an approving tone. His raptor tilted her head one way and then another, her crest was much larger than the others, and rising she hopped to the flier's fore arm to get a better look at Drift.

"Adopted as soon as she laid eyes on me," Drift confirmed, nodding. Silver promptly began licking his jaw. "I've been told she's adopted me as her alpha." He looked at the raptor with curious interest. "I've seen wild raptors hunting topside, but never a queen. At least, not that I know of, and I never really got close enough to see for sure."

"They tend to have more control over their colors," Twin Twist explained, scratching his pet on the underside of her crest, getting a purr, "So when hunting, they run dark, not glowing to get the drop on the prey that the rest of the pack herd to them. or their guarding the nesting ground." The flier grinned at Drift as if understanding about his new pup.

"That would explain it." Drift absently scratched under his pup's chin. Her tail beat a tattoo against his armor. Where she any bigger it might have left a dent.

"At least you got a happy one," Twin Twist pointed out, letting his raptor hop back to his shoulder as he aimed a finger at a few grumpy looking puppies. "Rather have a happy wolf if I can."

"She's all wiggle, at least for me." The white mech chuckled. "From what I heard while Percy and I were loading them to be brought here, she was grumpy with everyone else, but all sunshine and gold-foil roses with me."

"Predator cyber beasts are very reliant on smell and sight." the flier commented, "Patter knows me no matter what form I take, Primus, you should see Hound's Pack!"

"Too much spazz right now," Hound shook his head, paused to look for Perceptor and seeing her indulging in the want to play with the tiny fluffy fox kits that someone hand.

Drift looked over toward the femme he was courting, smiling as he watched her, and then looked at Hound. "You've got a whole pack, eh?"

Hound looked a bit embarrassed as well as proud at the same time, "well... yes." he frowned and sighed the taller flier poked him, "Ten wolves- four pups I'm keeping- six foxes and four lesser raptors an one avian egg."

"Pack," Twin Twist grinned.

"How in Primus' name do you manage to keep track of them all?" the white warrior wanted to know.

"I know how to talk to them," the green mech shrugged, "And they're my lively hood, I go through platforms like this with my pack to clear out the worst pest infestations. Training is just a side thing."

"What kinds of pests do you hunt?" Drift asked, curious.

"Anything and everything from glitch mice to squid and once my wolves pulled apart a possible SPE," Hound glanced around to be sure no one else was paying attention to them at that last part.

Pale optics flickered. "Can you train your critters not to hunt certain things?"

"Oh yeah, Twin Twist here has his queen trained to bring him glow beetles alive and not eat anything she catches." Hound nodded to the flier, "You just need to work with them, they are predators naturally."

Drift raised a hand, projecting a holo of a six-legged magneto-lizard onto his palm. "Can you train them not to hunt these? They're harmless insect-eaters, and have been known to eat baby glitch-mice."

The queen raptor hopped over to balance on Drift's raised arm, the colors on her crest flushing and interested golden shade.

"Percy's got one as a pet... we found it on the ceiling down by medical. She'd rather it not get eaten." Drift tilted his helm toward the femme.

"You need to master the stop and leave it commands," Hound judged, "keep the lizard in a tank or up high until then- vet's open there." He reached out and pick up the raptor and toss the queen lightly to the ground at Twin Twist's feet and pushed Drift's shoulder to get the slightly taller mech to step up next.

"Something to make sure I learn." Drift approached the vet, looking at the new mech as he shifted Silver in his arms.

He was brown and green in color, but seemed not very big or half an alternate mode. He had a fluffy, silver turbo fox draped over his shoulders that looked board, but he smiled at Drift, "I see only one pet- first one?" he asked.

"Very first," Drift agreed, trying to get the wiggling silver pup to cooperate. "Hold still a minute, you squirmy little thing!"

The vet gave that same growling '_harrup_!' bark and Silver froze, eyes wide as from her angle from the wiggling, thought that it came from Drift. As she went limp the vet winked at Drift..

Drift chuckled. "Wasn't me, fuzzball." He shifted his grip on her, holding her out for her shots.

"You hold her like this," the vet showed by using his own calm fox, "Helps with the wiggling, and its your hands so less chance of being nipped."

"With Silver here, less nipping and more licking," Drift copied the hold, "And a lot of happy wiggling."

There was another bark and less wiggling, "Don't be shy for taking credit, still young enough not to fully get the voice differences yet." The vet said as he injected the shots as quickly as possible, rubbing behind the pups ears as she whined in protest. "It's okay puppy... do you want her to have your glyph?"

"Glyph?" Drift blinked at that.

"She's going to be yours yes?" The brown and green mech asked, reaching for his fox and turning around so that Drift could see the darker patch of black fur that was his name, "Tab here has his fur altered, some have it painted on if there's no fur. The raptors sport all sorts of styles along with foxes, the altering of pigments in a little patch of fur is common. Or a collar of you would like as well."

"Yes, she's mine. I was told that I'm the first mech she's ever taken to." The swordsmech thought for a moment, "Might as well put my glyph on her. My name's Drift."

"Drift as in drifting on wheels, solar drift or drifting on energon seas?" The vet tilted his head, taking a data pad to write out the someone different ways of writing that one word and showing them to the swordsmech.

"Drifting on wheels," Shifting his pup to one arm, Drift wrote his designation-glyph on the datapad.

"...I can do that," the vet nodded, motioning Drift to hold the puppy Silver against him, "You might get nipped now." he warned as he extended a tool from his wrist and reached to press the needle into the fur on the puppy's back hip.

"I've taken worse than puppy nips," the warrior replied, tilting his head to watch.

"This won't show up right away," the vet explained as Silver yipped in protest, trying to wiggle free, "keep a good hold, almost done."

"I've got her." Drift tightened his hold, working one hand around to scratch under silver fluff.

It was over quickly, the vet had done this enough times, and he pulled back, "There we go, its okay little one I'm sure you'll get plenty of cuddles from your person. Here's this data pad for you Drift with the basics of puppy proofing your room, though you should get with one of the trainers as soon as possible."

"Those tips will come in handy... If Silver chews up any of Perceptor's projects it'll be me in the turbo-dog house." The pale mech accepted the data pad, sub spacing it and scratching the whining pup's neck.

"The PM?" The vets optics flashed in a blink, and then again with keen interest, "The Perceptor, with someone...? good luck mate!" he couldn't help it and grinned.

Drift's armor fluffed out. "I'm courting her. In my own way."

"Not protesting mate, just surprised," the vet paused and added, "just watch out for her aim. Next!"

"I've been warned about her aim." Still scratching Silver, Drift ambled over to the red femme, his armor slowly settling back into place.

The red and black femmie was just setting down a fluffy black ball of a kit, she looked up with a bit of a guilty smile, "Ah, Drift- sorry for leaving... I have found that I am unable to resist fuzzy balls that chirp."

Drift leaned against her. "I have to ask why you don't have one."

Perceptor rose to her feet, "honestly... I have not had time for a true pet." she knew that if Drift wasn't here, the Perceptor would happily have been in her labs since coming back to the platform (if she would have made it back after the encounter with those slavers that is).

"Maybe you will, eventually." The white mech leaned over to nuzzle her, not caring about the crowd of witnesses.

He got her humming again, and then made a surprised sound as Silver's quick tongue got the femmie's cheek. "I see she has not suffered too much from her shots, but at least she can stay with you."

"She suffered more from having my glyph put on her, but she didn't even nip during the process, much to the vet's amazement." Drift grinned at the sound of surprise. "Probably a good thing... She'd probably be sulking and whining the whole time if I had to leave her here again. The vet gave me a data pad with some tips for puppy-proofing our quarters, so nothing gets chewed."

"That is good," Perceptor said, and maybe had a bit of pointed tone in her words. She smiled than and nodded at the door, "Shall we go?"

"We shall." Drift shifted Silver to one arm, offering the other for her to loop hers through.

The black and red femmie did, wrapping both of her arms around his offered, "Once we have some space from this room of spazz, you can put her down. To start Silver fallowing you."

"And get me used to her being underfoot so I'm not tripping over her," Drift added with a chuckle, heading for the door.

"Wolves at least are quick learners," Perceptor said as they walked, she shot a narrow optic look at someone off to the side, pinging her officer single at them to keep the peace before it was broken. "From what I heard the puppies were all up for most of the shift so far, hopefully Silver will flop when get back..."

Drift looked curiously in the direction Perceptor had been glaring. "We'll have to see. She doesn't seem like she's running out of steam, but I did see how quickly she went from 'wiggle' to 'out cold' when we were loading them topside."

"The young of any kind go from wiggle to out cold," Perceptor pointed out, "After all, look at the sparklings aboard the platform." She paused and added in a quieter tone, "Not sure about the young on the surface."

White plating shifted. "On the surface the young ones have to learn fast or they die. It's a much harder life than down here."

Perceptor consider that quietly as they moved back into the hallway, "Wreckers protect our young, but deep level life is not safe outside the platform's hull."

"At least the conflicts on the surface don't reach down this far." Drift looked around, then put Silver down, the pup romping around his feet.

"Level Workers have always had a more...energetic lifestyle." Perceptor said, "And we answer to the Foremen, not the Primes"

"Or whoever else happens to be in positions of authority." Drift shook himself slightly, ruffling his plating. "Where are we headed now?"

"I was unsure where you wished to go," The femmie looked up at the white mech, who she still had her arms around his while Silver was insisting on sniffing everything around them.

"Wherever you want to go," Drift purred in response.

"...should we not go back to the room for the pup to get used to it... or that of your own new room if you still want your own." Ah look, she was flustered again.

"Even if I had my own room, it probably wouldn't see much of me." That purr was back in Drift's voice.

"Oh?" The femmie hummed, and smiled as that trill from the day before- or rather the shift before, came back full strength. "I dare say I wouldn't mind."

"I know I wouldn't." Drift leaned close enough that the warm air from his vents swirled over her armor. "Hey! No! Back here, you little ball of fluff!" His attention had turned to Silver, who was investigating an open vent duct.

Connecting up to the platform's network, Perceptor triggered a command that had the vents closing half way, enough to keep anything more than the muzzle of the puppy out.

"That little fuzzball is definitely going to be a handful until she's properly trained," Drift noted, chuckling slightly.

"Pays to the PM," Perceptor sighed as she fallowed drift, the cyber wolf pup giving a confused bark at the vent, only to hop back as she heard her own echo.

"Silver! C'mere, fuzzball!" Drift whistled, hoping to get the pup's attention.

Pale little ears twitched up and cream colored optics looked back at Drift, Silver's tail started to wag again behind her. She looked back at the vent with tilted head and another bark then jump.

"Try barking," Perceptor offered, "That's what I have seem most owners do, Topspin will yip at his foxes."

Drift considered that, and then did his best to mimic a cyber-wolf's bark. His gaze remained on Silver, waiting for her reaction. She hopped, bouncing on all fours before hurrying back to Drift, unable to stop with not much experience in the 'brakes' department- not to mention her big paws- Silver ran right into the mech's leg with a yip. Perceptor couldn't help but laughing at that.

Drift shook his head, chuckling. "That was awkward." He leaned down to scratch behind the pup's ears. "You have a hard head."

The puppy grinned, sitting back up Silver leaned back and thumped the flat of her head against Drift's shine. Her own action had the puppy staggering to the right and tripping on her paws again.

"Odd behavior," The red and black femmie said, a little worried as she watched.

"Hard head." Drift leaned down again, scratching along the back of Silver's neck. "She did that to me topside, too."

Perceptor nodded, remembering, "Yes, she did... I hope its just a quirk. Maybe I should contact Hightower to see where he got her from."

"Maybe she'll grow out of it, maybe she won't. We'll just have to wait and see. Though if she keeps it up as she grows, she'll be knocking smaller mechs right over." Drift waited until Silver was steady on her oversized paws again, and then continued down the corridor.

The femmie paused long enough to be sure the puppy was fallowing them this time, not running off at the nest new scent, "It seems as if Silver is getting that we are traveling, not playing."

"The play can wait till we get back to our quarters, then she can wrestle with me until she passes out." A pale blue optic winked at the femme. "And after that we can do whatever we want."

The platform manager hummed as the thought of, _Almost, but at least it is not like having a sparkling._ Perceptor smiled as she let herself grasp onto Drift's arm, and then couldn't help letting her fingers explore his forearm and the near sheathed sword again. "We do have the rest of the shift free after all."

White plating lifted slightly, creating enough room for Perceptor's fingers to slip underneath, "Plenty of time to get her into recharge, then for me to see to you."

"That sounds horrid, and I could be considered such as well as it also sounds quiet a welcoming promise." Perceptor admitted, humming in the equivalent of a blush and smiling as Silver bounded ahead to great another mech walking towards and by them.

Drift winked again. "I promise you will enjoy it."


	10. Bonk!

Queen's notes: ...yeah... bonk XD also, a warning for there is mechs getting intimate later in the chapter

Ultra Rodimus' notes: In which Perceptor's new pet magneto-lizard gets into a bit of a tiff with Drift, much to Perceptor's amusement.

**Into the Lower Levels**

Chapter 10:

Bonk!

With a gentle finger Perceptor rubbed the back of the six-legged magneto-lizard that was sitting on the back of her left wrist. The red and black femmie was content to sit on her couch and hand feed her new pet little pieces of an energon goodie one at a time between stoking its back.

The platform manager shifted and lifted her legs up and onto the couch to keep the pale streak that was Silver from running into them. The cyber wolf pup yipped as she lost traction and slid the rest of the way to thump against the wall. Perceptor chuckled as Silver hopped up and pounced on the toy she had been after, grabbing it with a squeak the puppy bounded back to Drift with a wagging tail.

"I dare say she likes playing fetch." The femmie said with another chuckle.

"And doesn't at all seem to mind running into things, which only confirms that she's got a hard head," Drift laughed in reply as he grabbed at the toy, engaging in a playful tug-of-war with the enthusiastic pup before she let go and he tossed it for her again.

The magneto-lizard was perfectly happy to sit where it was. The few colorful crystalline scales dotting its head and neck glittering as it took pieces of the goodie from Perceptor's fingers.

The puppy grinned, pouncing with another squeak from the toy, rolling over with it the little wolf spread her forepaws out and energetically shook her head with the toy. She hopped to one side and then to the other side.

Drift chuckled as he watched. "She's certainly an energetic little critter." He settled back, watching with a grin as the toy was wrestled into submission.

Perceptor shifted, leaning on the arm of the couch to watch as Silver bounced back to drop the toy between his knees and plop back to sit. "The wolf seems to truly love you."

"Though I certainly can't figure out why she's so attached to me." Drift picked up the toy, shaking it at Silver, then flicked it across the room again.

"Hound and others keep saying you must have the right scent." The femmie pointed out, one optic on her gecko like lizard, "And you have been treating her very well."

"Hmm." Drift chuckled as oversized paws scrabbled against the floor, the pup bounding after the toy. "She's like a dynamo, I swear... Never runs out of energy."

The lizard shifted slightly on Perceptor's hand, crystal scales glinting yellow and orange as it leaned against her fingers, looking for more stroking. The femmie offered the last tidbit before continuing the petting, "Never runs out until she does?" Perceptor grinned, having seen others with puppies that run out and just flop over.

The white mech chuckled. "Goes from full-tilt to out cold, eh? I just hope she stops running before she passes out, or she's going to go full-throttle into the wall."

"I do like this little one," Perceptor smiled, sliding a little lower on the couch, content in her spot and activity at the moment. If a lizard could be said to purr, that was what the magneto-lizard did. It practically melted on Perceptor's hand, yellow optics half-closed in reptilian bliss.

Silver came bounding back again, shaking the toy once more before hopping up to plant her paws on Drift's middle and whining happily at him. Though this time trying to hang onto her toy.

"I've heard they're very affectionate little creatures, magneto-lizards, and it looks like what I've heard is true. See those crystal scales? It's been eating glow beetles, and developed those scales from the beetle shells." Drift tugged on the toy, not seriously trying to take it from her.

As the little pale wolf spazzed and tugged back, Perceptor smiled, "Yes... I remember you mentioning that Drift. The creature is quite manageable and calm, even with Silver there barking."

Drift wiggled the toy, grinning at the enthusiastic attempts to take it from him. "Silly little ball of fluff," he told her, a laugh in his voice.

The puppy yipped as if agreeing, her tail still wagging and waving so much her rear end started to wiggle to one side. The pup jumped up to try and grab her toy, tongue hanging out in between little snaps. The pale warrior led the pup in a bouncing, wiggling circle after the toy, then tossed it across the room, snorting as large paws flailed after it.

Silver yipped and pounced, chewing a little to get her toy to squeak a few times before coming back once more. This time the puppy circled Drift, sniffing for something and when she was behind him a second time, the puppy fell over his legs as the mech was on his knees still. As it turned out it was more of a flop then falling, with a deep happy sigh Silver stayed were she was, and had to squeak her toy one last time.

"There's the crash." Perceptor smiled looking over.

"That was abrupt." Drift regarded the pile of pale fur for a moment, and then lifted the limp critter off the floor. "I can see why it's called the 'crash'."

"Young cyber beasts are much like sparklings I would assume, they do not have much in the way of reserve tanks," Perceptor pointed out, "It stands to reason when they, like sparklings, burn through most of their energy they will naturally start into a recharge cycle before needing to refuel."

"And they go from full-tilt to out-cold in seconds." Drift carried Silver over to the pillow he'd settled in an out-of-the-way corner of the room for her, placing the toy beside her, then came over to sit next to Perceptor.

Perceptor pulled her legs up so there weren't stretched over most of the couch, smiling still as she glanced over at Silver and back to Drift. She hummed softly, almost shyly again as the femmie remembered the white mech's promise from earlier.

Drift leaned over to nuzzle her, reaching over to lightly stroke one finger down the magneto-lizard's back. The creature glanced at him, then settled down, closing its optics. A dark finger nudged the thick tail gently, getting a light kick from a hind leg. "It's a female."

"How can you tell?" Perceptor asked, humming still at their positions. She had been sitting sideways with her back to the couch arm and knees angled to the side but still tucked up off the floor. With the bigger Drift leaning over she was stuck and not minding the closeness of the mech.

A dark finger lifted the tail. "Males are shaped differently under there." He had to chuckle softly at the look he got from the lizard, her tail swatting his wrist.

Perceptor's slender fingers smooth over the back of the magneto-lizard's back, "I do not think she likes that." The black and red femmie mildly defended, giving the small creature on the back of her own hand and wrist a few more pets to reassure.

"Okay, okay, I'll stop poking at you," Drift said to the creature. The lizard replied with a look that clearly said "you better" before closing her optic again and resting her chin on Perceptor's hand.

"She has already eaten some pests that tried to get into my latest project." Perceptor tilted her head at the other side of the room was, as well as the as the 'kitchen' that was used for making her energon goodies. There was currently a 'slow cooking' batch on, and wouldn't be done until next shift.

"Keep letting her eat glow beetles and eventually her entire body will be covered in crystal scales." The tip of Drift's finger ran along the length of the magneto-lizard's back. "I've heard the older ones can look spectacular, though the wild ones don't usually live that long."

"They would stand out too much," Perceptor paused to consider, "Though I would imagine they would blend rather well in Crystal City."

"They were the favored pets of the artists, or so the rumors say. Feed them certain colors of beetle and you can control what color scales they develop, if not the patterns of colors. And yes, the wild ones would stand out too much. So only pets become the really spectacular ones." Drift stroked the creature again, letting his fingers run over Perceptor's hand.

Not minding the lizard still on her hand, the femmie shifted to take Drift's hand in both of hers. Perceptor's finger tips trailing over the mech's palm and digits, back down his palm to his wrist joint. Ignoring the glare from the magneto-lizard as the petting stopped, Drift lifted Perceptor's hand, taking her fingertip in his mouth, glossa flicking at the pad. Playful optics sparkled at her. Then a huff of surprise escaped as the lizard swarmed forward, parking on his nose.

She couldn't help it, she just couldn't and Perceptor was laughing before she could hold it back. Even with the ball of heat in her middle, the red femmie truly grinned for the first time as she reached forward to gently pick up the chirping creature with her free hand, "It is quite okay little one..."

"I don't think she's very fond of me getting all your attention." There was a laugh in Drift's voice as the pale swordsmech looked at the creature. The lizard flipped her tail at him, settling back into Perceptor's hand.

"There is the conundrum," Perceptor pointed out, "I would very much like to give you all my attention, and have yours in turn." She tilted her head at the lizard, the workings in her scope whirring softly, "And there is a bug on the ceiling." she said without looking up, though tilted her pet so it could look up.

Small yellow optics immediately turned ceiling ward. The lizard swarmed down Perceptor's frame and up the closest wall, the glowing crystal scales on her back tracing her path after the bug. In short order there was no more bug, and the lizard was looking back down at them.

Perceptor smiled back, though mostly saw the actions of the magneto-lizard through her scope, most of the femmie's attention was returning to Drift. Her fingers ghosting and tracing over his neck cables before working into them in a massage. Drift leaned into her hands, shifting and leaning over to apply lips and glossa to her scope. Pale optics glimmered as he worked slowly over every inch, tracing all the seams and joins and looking for the most sensitive spots. Overhead, the lizard chirped, then went back to her hunting.

Shivering under him, the red and black dimmed her optics, "Oh my," she muttered as that ball of heat inside flushed out. Perceptor going rigid and then starting to melt, one hand gripping Drift's chest plate as he continued.

The white warrior purred against her scope, his lips vibrating against sensitive metal and sending thrills of sensation through her body. He shifted, lifting one hand to stroke along Perceptor's side and back as he continued to explore her scope, craning his neck to flick his glossa against the lens.

"You have... better be planning on... cleaning that...!" Perceptor blurted out between small gasps as she tried to wiggle her legs free, but was still stuck under Drift by how he was leaning over her to get at the scope.

It seemed she was not the dominant type outside of her labs, or if something didn't relate to her job. With Drift being so exactly that type, Perceptor was finding out she didn't exactly mind as her hands slipped into seems in pale armor and under to find another sensor pool or two.

White armor flared, giving her access to what lay under it. Drift continued to purr, the tip of his glossa slowly tracing the edge of the lens. He shifted position slightly, giving her some room to move, working his way down to where her scope barrel joined to her shoulder. Warm air from his vents swirled over her plating, teasing the sensors underneath.

How could he reach that joint?

Perceptor wondered that as she slipped her legs free, letting them stretch out on the couch partly, between Drift's own thighs as he moved up. Her fingers following the lines to the first sensor pool under the armor plating and she ran her finger tips around it. Perceptor made a sound of protest and enjoyment at what she could feel from her scope. She could feel Drift's movements and actions, feel the scope click and- wait, what?

The femmie's wordless warning was too late and the scope barrel slid forward as if to go over her shoulder instead of rest behind, and in turn the side bonked onto the top of Drift's head. Perceptor clung to him as much in embarrassed apology as in some pain herself.

There was a surprised sound from Drift, then a laugh as the white mech shifted his head out of the way. He kissed the side of her helm, mouthing the seams and armor plating gently, working his way down along her jawline until his lips brushed against hers.

"I am sorry," Perceptor muttered against him in a tiny voice, green optics shuddering for a moment or two as she nuzzled against Drift, kissing him lightly a few times before longer on his lips.

"It's all right." Drift returned the kiss. "It was going to happen eventually, and it'll teach me to watch out the next time." He deepened the kiss, taking his time to thoroughly explore her mouth.

There was a "clunk" as something small dropped onto him from above a moment later, a dead bug bouncing off his helm, startling him. From overhead, there was an innocent chirp.

Perceptor yelped as the dead insect promptly landed on her after bouncing off of Drift and twitched. There was a small flail that resulted in the dead bug being sent flying off by no power of its own, and Perceptor was lower on the couch almost completely under Drift in a reflexive hiding position that came from an instinct she wasn't sure where roots came from, "By the Sigma!"

Drift tilted his helm to look up, spotting small yellow optics peering back at him, "Calm down, bug-killer. What did I do to you?"

"I say, I do not appreciate deceased insects dropping down on me, us." Perceptor peered out from under Drift, "Could you refrain from doing so again my little one?"

There was a chirp from overhead, then the sound of small feet skittering off across the ceiling again. Drift shook his helm, chuckling. "Opinionated little thing."

"Intelligence is always prized." Perceptor sighed, her tone suggesting that she would like the little lizard to take its intelligence and settle down for a nap for a while. She hummed suddenly and Perceptor looked down at her current spot mostly under Drift with her legs drawn up reflexively against the back of his own legs.

"Hopefully that'll be the end of her little tiff with me." Drift leaned down to kiss her again, his engine turning over and purring warmly.

"At least for the time of a shift," Perceptor hopped as she kissed the mech back between her words, "Though perhaps we should take preventative measures?" she offered as the femmie shifting to keep as little pressure off her scope as possible and not to have it acting as an inadvertent shield to hold Drift back by catching on his armor.

The white helm tilted to the side as the warrior gave her a puzzled look. "And perhaps move to the berth... That might be easier on your scope."

Perceptor couldn't hid her grateful glance, "It would be more comfortable, as much as I prize the flex metal and cushions of this couch... it does not give in the right way in regards to my barrel." She admitted, trailing one hand lightly over the hilt of one of his hip-sheathed swords.

Drift chuckled, wrapping his arms around the slim femme and lifting her off the couch. Rising to his feet, he padded into the berthroom, carrying Perceptor over to the berth and placing her on its surface, making sure she was close enough to the groove made to hold her lens barrel. Then he flowed onto the berth after her, moving like a great white-plated cybercat.

"Are you sure you are not from the lower levels as well?" Perceptor asked as she scooted up, and a little away from Drift in the process but there was a teasing edge to the movement. The swordsmech seemed to move too much like some of the deeper mechs that needed stealth to survive the wild life as much as the rougher and less pleasant people encountered away from platforms and villages.

"I was originally from the gutters... Not this low, but low enough. That was a long time ago, though." He flowed after her, his pale blue optics sparkling, lowering his head to nip and nuzzle at her ankle joint. His exotic white armor flared and ruffled, almost glowing white in the dimly-lit room.

Perceptor's hum took a sympathetic edge to it as she drew her legs up, crossing them as best she could while reaching for Drift. There wasn't any pity but a sad understanding to a point, "That may be, but you are a part of a Crew now Drift." she pulled at his armor lightly, trying to coax him up and to the side to lay down, having an idea. Though his swords might hinder what Perceptor wanted to try, she wasn't sure if she should tell him to take them off.

The white mech obeyed the direction, shifting his hip sheaths slightly so he could settle down. "And I'm happy to be a part of the crew." His purr vibrated all the way through his frame as he caught one of her hands, lifting it to lick at the pads of her fingers.

A claw extended a tiny bit to tap playfully on his lower denta as Perceptor leaned over the mech, her hip against his side as her free hand smoothed over the mech's chest plate. Once her other hand was reclaimed it would join the first to search for armor clamps. "As am I, that you are here Drift."

Armor ruffled, revealing the presence of the armor clamps as the white mech allowed her fingers to slip free of his mouth. Pale optics watched her, bright and warm. He shifted only once, to remove the long, gleaming blade he wore on his back and place it off to the side, the sky-blue gem in its hilt gleaming.

Perceptor felt over each clamp, identifying which ones were for the mech's chest plate and teased them open on at a time. Though not the strongest Wrecker, she could lift the heavy plates of armor enough to get them out of the way. Before shifting anything though the femmie's dark green optics looked up to blue, "Do you trust me?" Perceptor asked, also asking for permission.

"I trust you, Percy," the white mech whispered, his pale optics meeting hers. His field, where it merged with hers, expressed both nervousness as well as trust that she would never harm him.

She lifted his armor, setting his chest plates aside, within easy reach for the mech. She didn't take it all, oh no, Perceptor wouldn't do that to the warrior as she understood that as they were not bonded mates that might be a bit more then uncomfortable. Her hum was reassuring as Perceptor all but sat on Drift, her fingers guided over certain things, using her medical knowledge to just fallow the muscle cables.

Perceptor wasn't going to admit how she learned how to apply that knowledge to this trick, oh no sir she was not. Primus step on it and Unicron devour it but she wasn't, not to Drift and not now. Muscle cables ran through the whole of the Cybertronian body, and though a mech could and did get 'rubs' on places like the neck and shoulder joint cables, there were other places that could knot over time and the owner never really aware; like in the chest, down the sides, into the hips and inner thighs.

Claws retracted, the red and black femmie worked out the first knot she found with slow gentle fingers, still humming as she glanced at Drift's face.

Drift was watching with curious nervousness, other parts of his armor ruffling uneasily. As her fingers ran over his cables, a soft purr escaped, the white mech's powerful engine turning over and rumbling very softly.

"It is not so bad, hmm?" Perceptor smiled as she worked the knot out with as little pain as passable; rubbing the spot to be sure the cables were smoothed down before following them in search of another to be rid of.

"That feels good." Under the femme Drift's frame vibrated from the purring of his engine as he watched her.

Smiling back up at him, the red and black femmie methodically worked out each knot and crimp that Drift was and wasn't aware of. After leaning over him she dared to place a kiss on his fuel pump- not daring near his spark- before moving downwards, able to reach in a little more thanks to her slender frame so she didn't have to take off that much of Drift's armor plates.

The warrior's engine revved, his frame vibrating. The vibration ran through Perceptor where their frames touched, his sensor net shivering at the sensations. Under her hands he was relaxing, settling back on the berth, one hand settling on her thigh, his thumb tracing lazy circles on her armor.

Perceptor's smile flashed to a smirk for a moment, only a moment as she reached back to run her finger pads ran over the back of Drift's hand and two of his fingers before return to what she was doing. Working down his right side, and then leaning over and on him to get the left side. Perceptor braced her hands on him before moving, over Drift's thigh to sit between his legs and her fingers dug lightly into the seams at his hips and joint, working from right to left on the top part and then left to right under that piece of protective armor.

One white-plated leg shifted, rubbing lightly against hers. His purring was slowly increasing in intensity. Plates Perceptor hadn't removed lifted from where they had slicked down to Drift's frame, allowing her fingers to slide underneath.

Bound and determined to return the favor from the night shift before, seeing it as her turn now to drive the mech daft as Perceptor work on the muscle cables in Drift's legs. Her fingers brushing over sensors in that sensitive area between the mech's legs, yet not touching the cover to his spike, not yet while Perceptor's hands moved down Drift's left inner thigh.

A deep purr rattled Drift's remaining plating. "That feels... so good." He blinked down at her, his pale optics unfocused.

"The concentration of nerve endings and sensor pools close together," Perceptor explained as she slipped her fingers in deeper to get one last knot before sliding her fingers back upwards again.

The white mech's systems and cables vibrated under her hands as his engine revved, his pale optics following her movements. His EM field wrapped around hers, expressing just how good the touch felt.

Perceptor's energy field flared back, radiating her smug pride of getting him back like this, and for being able to even get a response at all that was this good. She worked around his hatch with teasing touches before starting on the other leg.

Drift squirmed under her hands as she skirted his interface panel, a whine escaping his vocalize, "Tease."

"I dare say I have not an idea of what you mean," The red and black femmie lifted her chin, "This is a therapeutic persuader. Do you not agree?"

The swordsmech chuckled. "If you say so." There was a purr in his voice, and a warm glint in his optics.

She lifted her hands finally and braced them against Drift's front in order to lean up and forward, kissing him, "I do."

Drift returned the kiss, his glossa sliding over her lower lip, asking for entry as one hand came up to stroke her back.

Perceptor opened her mouth and arched her back while trying to reach up to push her scope back over her shoulder, balancing on the mech with one hand at the same time. The result was the femmie falling against him, "I meant to do this..."

The white mech's exposed protoform and systems were warm against her armor as he lifted his other arm, running his hands along her back and sides. He pressed kisses to her jaw and throat, chuckling against warm metal. "Did you, now." Pale blue optics sparkled playfully.

"I did not," Perceptor admitted, her green optics dimming at his attentions, the femmie gave a weak smile. Her hands having to move still so reaching in to smooth her fingers over a few if his systems.

A soft moan answered the strokes to his systems. Nimble, strong fingers slid into seams between her armor plates, skimming lightly over what circuitry they could reach. After a moment one hand slid up to stroke and knead where Perceptor's scope attached to her shoulder. "I didn't think so."

The red and black femmie promptly melted, optics shuttering, Perceptor hummed happily. She rolled to give Drift better access to the connection point. Shivering the Wrecker wrapped her arms around the mech's neck and laid small kisses down his jaw line and onto the muscle cables, memorizing his lines and features in this way.

Drift purred, his engine revving, vibrating through his frame and into hers where their bodies touched. One hand continued to explore her back and sides, slipping into every seam and caressing the wiring underneath. His other hand worked into her scope mount as far as it could, stroking along the barrel and tracing the edge of the lens before returning to the shoulder mounting.

Her optics unshuttered and Perceptor looked up into the blue gaze of the mech, "You are delightful as much as you are dreadful in your actions Drift." she said softly.

"I try my best." Drift tilted his head to press kisses along her jawline, working his way down to her throat cables. Closing his lips on an energon line, he sucked lightly on it.

"I think I adore it, if I may say." Perceptor smiled and wiggled on top of the mech, getting her legs up to press her shin guards against his hips and feet resting against the spot between his legs.

Drift nudged under her chin, his glossa flirting with the armor edges where her neck cables emerged from under her helmet. "Glad you approve." His voice had deepened to a husky purr as his hand slid lower, palm smoothing over her aft.

The femmie hummed in a blush and smiled, letting her hands start moving again. Starting to work on Drift's muscle cables again, her touch wasn't teasing anymore. Caring and loving and wanting to give what she could to the mech.

Dark fingers worked into the mount of the red femme's scope, seeking out the most sensitive places to touch. His other hand found a join between two plates along Perceptor's lower back, sneaking in and locating a sensor cluster. The white warrior kneaded and stroked it gently as he raised his head to capture his lover's lips, deepening the kiss.

As his fingers found one of the relays for the scope Perceptor almost bucked, the scope was after all like another limb, a part of her. Her hands spasming and it took effort not to grip with her hands inside of Drift's systems. Perceptor rested the front of her helm on the mech's chest, or the edge of his armor.

Interest swirled through Drift's field as he stroked the relay he'd found, watching her reactions. Purring, he nuzzled and delicately nipped at her helmet's crest as his other hand stroked up the center of her back.

Perceptor twitched her lens and cycled air, pushing hot air out of her vents and into Drift's systems as well as the edges of his armor. She rubbed a thumb over a seam, the joining of the fuel line and pump.

The touch sent a shiver through the mech's frame. Turning his head, he nuzzled against the scope, licking up the side of the barrel while his fingers continued to stroke that relay. Charge was beginning to build, nipping at his systems.

It wasn't the only thing that 'nipped,' the finger tips of Perceptor's traced the energon lines inside of the mech before her hands moved down and to the side, one having to work in between two plates that hadn't been removed. Perceptor herself dimmed her optics again before shuttering them as she moved by touch and feel.

Drift's remaining armor practically stood on end, flaring out to give Perceptor access as well as to vent the heat that was building underneath. The warrior squirmed beneath the slender femme, craning his neck to reach higher along the barrel of her scope. His free hand dipped into every seam it found, trying to return the pleasure she was giving him.

The femmie hissed softly, all but wiggling against Drift as he did that. Despite their activities the night before, she was by far not used to be touched at all on her scope. Cycling air into her system Perceptor rose a bit to pull herself up a bit more on the mech's middle instead of between his hips and sheaths. From here, she could think a little better and finish attempting tackle overload for Drift, as she only had a valve- but that didn't mean she didn't know how to do something like this.

...granted Perceptor knew she didn't have much experience with anything more... aha! This here was a sensor line!

A stronger shiver ran through the mech under her. Charge was visibly starting to crawl over Drift's internal systems, quite visible with most of his torso plating piled off to one side. His fingers stilled on her armor for a moment, then resumed stroking and exploring.

The femmie hummed in her own pleasure leaning into Drift's touch for a moment before returning most of her attention to finding and stimulating any kind of non-harmful but still sensitive area.

As her fingers skimmed over a circuit board, Drift's frame went stiff under her, his helm thrown back as the touch sent him over the edge into overload. Excess charge crackled over his remaining armor and internal systems, leaping off to dance over Perceptor's plating. A keen escaped the white mech's vocalizer as he rode out the overload, slowly sinking back down onto the berth.

When his senses started coming back, he would find that most of his open systems were covered partly. Perceptor was laying over top of drift, her finger tips traces over the outer lines of his audial finials. Smiling she couldn't help asking with a chuckle, "Good enough handsome sir?"

"You're a fast learner," Drift purred in response, tilting his helm into her hand. The touch on his audial finials felt so good. One hand came up to stroke along Perceptor's back, stroking and kneading the red armor.

"I am not that oblivious, Sir Drift," Perceptor gave a sniff, but kept her tender ministrations up, "Nor as I am sure are you new to such mature- and quiet sensual, actions as we have been engaged in these last two shifts."

Drift chuckled, his fingertips stroking over armor seams and slipping under plates to skim over her circuitry. Leaning his head up, he nipped gently at her lower lip. Ah, there was a distraction, Perceptor let her mifted-ness slide away as she kissed the mech back. By now relaxing and hoping for some cuddles before anything else. The white mech's arms wrapped around her, drawing her down onto his frame. His field wrapped around hers, his frame vibrating against hers as he purred in her audial.

"You are much like a cyber-feline," Perceptor said, again, as she pressed her face against the neck cables of the mech, humming.

"Is that a problem?" Drift teased, pale optics sparkling. He nuzzled against her helm, continuing to stroke her back and sides.

The red femmie considered, and remembered that thrill, "No, no problem. Though it seemed to need restatement." Perceptor ran her fingers over the side of Drift's helm, fallowing the edge on the way back up. "I still wish to discover this style of your armor. It has been driving me daft all shift."

Drift's chuckle vibrated through both of their frames. "It's not going to be easy, but you knew that already. You'll probably be driven daft quite a bit before you figure it out."

"I could default on my cultural impulses," Perceptor added, smirking as she dropped her slender visor down to regard Drift from behind that questionable 'safety.'

An optic rim lifted as Perceptor's visor dropped into place. "Oh?"

"Proper, and appropriate interrogation techniques," Perceptor said up, all proud but giving off an odd air of mischief.

The white warrior grinned up at her. "What techniques would you consider 'proper and appropriate' for this?"

"Tactile stimulations of another kind," Perceptor sat up, reaching down to run her claws, not finger pads, and a different pressure. It caused a prompt ticklish sensation inside Drift that actually spread out to wiggle against sides and hips.

Drift squirmed under Perceptor, an odd sound escaping his vocalizer. He tried to swat at her hands, but his squirming threw off his aim. That and she was a little quicker, reaching for another spot that head helped build the overcharge heat, but now also pulsed out that ticklish edge now instead. The Wrecker femmie was smirking a bit more at his action.

The white mech was quickly reduced to squirming and wriggling and flailing, odd noises sounding suspiciously like suppressed laughter escaping his vocalizer. He tried to get away, but Perceptor was easily able to hold him down.

It helped so much that she was sitting on him and had a hold with his legs. Now smiling she redoubled her efforts to get the mech outright laughing before she was pulled off or tossed off the mech and berth. It didn't take long for suppressed laughter to become outright laughter. Drift flailed and squirmed, trying to cover up his tickle zones, but covering one exposed another. His flailing was entirely uncoordinated and easily avoided.

"This seems to be a most effective interrogation technique!" Perceptor laughed, "Though, is it enough to get a hint?" she asked, slowing a little, but also not asking for the straight information.

"New... hahaha... hmmmmph... New... Crystal City," the white swordsmech managed to gasp out, trying to squirm away from the tickling and not getting very far.

"New Crystal City?" Perceptor pause, confused as she linked up with the platform network, requesting an update on the city she knew. The core city itself as well, who according to the last level-worker wide report was as happy as a metrotitan buried in a well-entrenched and active city can be. Her optics dimmed and unfocused as she did this.

"Not... on Cybertron," Drift got out, taking advantage of the pause to try and get his breath back. His limbs were still twitching, arms trying to cover up as much of his ticklish area as possible.

"Odd," Perceptor tapped a finger on the edge of white armor. "But then I have not been keeping up with the colony projects on the surface... I think I need to speak with the Sound Master."

"Hidden. Far from here." The twitching finally subsided, Drift slumping back onto the berth with a sigh of relief.

Perceptor focused again to give one last tickle, just to keep Drift from thinking he was fully safe. "Sounds like Unicronian paranoia, hiding their colonies."

A squawk escaped Drift's vocalizer, another squirm rubbing his armor against hers. "Trying to protect their culture. Don't want to be found. Found them by accident... was critically damaged. They rebuilt me."

Perceptor frowned, but coming from one of the more actively aggressive Cybertronian factions and general culture of the level workers on a whole. Though most of that aggressive energy was well worked off in work, Wreckers enjoyed good brawls and fights. On a whole they just couldn't imagine why anyone one would want to hide to 'protect' a culture. Perceptor finally said as much, adding as well, "The important thing though, is that culture is in the people, and must be allowed to evolve. That is what the first Foremen from Vector Sigma said, and it is such sound advice to continue to today. Why would anyone wish to leave Cybertron to 'defend' the planet's culture? Would not leaving thus make their culture colonial as that on the planet changes in time?"

Drift shrugged, keeping a wary optic on her hands. "They fled war and conflict that threatened to rip Cybertron apart. I never really understood it, either."

"The second or the first?" Perceptor tilted her head, "Though, Level-Workers on a whole have mostly been left out of the different wars. There is little to no sense in harming those that keep the planet from falling in on itself after all."

"Not sure. But the Circle left long ago, and they stayed in hiding to avoid being found by outsiders." Slowly, Drift was relaxing.

"A circle?" the Frown-Of-Confusion was back. "What does- oh, a title..." Perceptor's gaze shifted to the artifact on the wall of her berth room, then sat up on Drift, "The old ruins in the Rust Sea!" She announced, "I remember, a colleague of mine studies there, and has mentioned a 'Circle of Crystal,' though it does not seem exactly the same as much as it does..."

"The Circle of Light, the Knights of Light." Drift settled back, almost fully relaxed.

"I'll have to ask Leadfoot, or the just as old Kup when he comes down for the Races." Perceptor decided, and that wouldn't be too long for the next set of Races to start. In the next two or three shifts, as she knew all too well that her fellow Wreckers seemed to adore racing as much as work, drinking and fighting.

"That's why my armor design combines ancient designs and modern technology." Drift relaxed enough to lower his arms, clearly believing that since she'd gotten the answers she'd wanted the tickle torture was over.

"Fascinating," Perceptor hummed, seeming to have forgotten but just before moving, passed a tickling touch one last time and then slid to her side and Drift's. With her scope safe facing up and thus relenting further tickling attacks.

Drift squawked in surprise at the unexpected tickle, flailing at her hands. Once she settled down, he relaxed again, but he was clearly wary of more tickling. He got a soft laugh, but in a peace offering, Perceptor offered the mech an energon goodie while twining her fingers with his hand. In that way keeping herself against him and, maybe, out of tickling range.

The white mech accepted the treat, dipping his head slightly to take it from her fingers, his glossa flicking over the pad of her finger. Pale optics sparkled playfully. Relaxing again, he tugged her closer, purring softly.

Perceptor comfortably curled closer to the pale mech. Even with his armor off in places he was still nice and warm, and with their energy fields meshed. She made no offer to help put things back, just in case.


	11. Puppy Wake Up Call

Story is Co-Written between Ultra Rodimus Prime and Omicron the IceQueen!

**Queen's notes**: When a Wrecker of any kind says 'drastic measures' wake up and pay attention! And yes, meet X-Brawn D

**Ultra Rodimus' notes**: XD Poor Drift... He's never going to live down being woken like that. Serves him right for being a heavy sleeper

**Into the Lower Levels**

Chapter Eleven:

Puppy Wake Up Call

Waking for Perceptor was, again, before Drift. The red and black femmie stretched as carefully as she could so not to disturb the mech before having to roll a little bit in order to sit up while rubbing the base-connection of her scope. That seemed to make much better as the PM tilted her head to listen for any odd and out of place sounds while running fingers over the pale arm in her lap before setting it aside.

The white mech was still deep in recharge, his ventilations slow and steady, systems muted to a soft hum. He barely stirred as Perceptor shifted away from him, one hand twitching briefly as if searching for her before going limp again.

From the direction of the berthside table came a rustling sound. It was quickly followed by a chirp, two small yellow optics peering up at the femme.

Perceptor looked up from attraction some of Drift's armor so his systems wouldn't overly chill now that she wasn't covering him. "Well good morning to you as well little one." she greeted the little cyberbeast. The magneto-lizard chirped in response, prancing around the table. Her six-legged dancing brought Perceptor's attention to what else occupied the table. The small pile of thin metal insect legs was a clear indication of a good night's hunting, but it was the other prize that really got Perceptor's attention.

Of all the insect pests that infested the Platforms, cyber-scorpions were the worst.

Their claws were powerful enough to damage armor or cut wiring when they got into a seam. The stings on their tails packed a powerful punch, carrying a venom that could seriously injure or kill sparklings, younglings, minibots, and microbots, and caused great pain to full-grown adults. This cyber-scorpion was of a fair size. Its tail had been half chewed through to disable the sting, then the head had been bitten off before the remains of the creature had been dragged in as a prize.

"By Sigma," Perceptor murmured as she moved down to the foot of the berth to get off. She came around to peer at the dead insect, nudged it carefully before lifting the remains of the cyber-scorpion by the middle of the tail, and only after being sure it was dead did Perceptor rest it on the other hand to get a better look. "Well, well, this is quite impressive little one..."

The femmie regarded the other 'gifts,' and bit down her basic 'eeww' response.

Making a mental note to do a complete cleaning of her rooms, as well as to find a way to dispose of the legs without giving offence, Perceptor ran finger tips over the back of the magneto-lizard. The little mech-animal seemed to puff up proudly, chirping up at her. Yellow eyes dimmed in contentment as the lizard leaned into the stroking. Climbing onto her hand, the magneto-lizard settled down on the femme's forearm, tilting her head to look at Drift and chirping again.

"Yes... he is not exactly an early riser." Perceptor mused as she walked out of the berthroom. One optic on the magneto-lizard to see how it held on before reaching into her open storage closet. Putting the insect in one small box, the femmie fetched two others out. They were the same size nearly, or two parts of a single one, with one box to put the bug legs in, and then Perceptor showed her new pet the empty one, "For now on little one, in here please?" Perceptor set it on her desk.

The little lizard's head tilted this way and that as she regarded the box. Then she bobbed her head, chirping up at Perceptor to let the femme know she understood.

"This is why Wreckers prefer to have cyber-beasts instead of atomic drones." Perceptor said as she rewarded the critter by stroking and gently scratch her side and jaw line, "If you are not too stuffed, I have some energon goodies to finish this morning, and you are welcome to share with Silver the leftovers."

That got a flip of the lizard's tail, clearly a gesture of eagerness. The little creature leaned into the scratching and stroking, optics dimming almost off in contentment. Eventually the lizard migrated up to Perceptor's shoulder and settled there, holding onto red armor with all six legs. By that time Perceptor was cleaning her 'kitchen' set up and had fetched a can of energon first for herself to sip, before getting three cans of a somewhat higher grade for Drift. Knowing that he would need that extra boost today, she set that on the berth and on the way back out almost tripped over a yawning puppy. Perceptor stared down, and then sighed as she realized her normal morning routine would be modified. But then... maybe it wasn't bad.

The PM found a dish to let Silver lap up a little energon at a time, and then a smaller dish was set on the corner of the table for the mecha lizard once the 'scraps' were ready.

As soon as the dish was on the table the little lizard swarmed down Perceptor's arm. Small front feet grasped the edge of the dish while the magneto-lizard picked up and bolted down the pieces, tail flicking from side to side. The little creature licked up every last trace of the energon, then settled onto the table, watching her person.

Drift never even budged in his recharge as the cans of energon were placed next to him.

Extending the sliding part of the table out of the open end to make it larger, Perceptor stretched one more time before starting in on making her new batch of energon goodies. She kept an optic on the two pets, mostly hers until Perceptor saw that the magneto-lizard was only nipping up drops before or after they turned to crums. "You are probably going to grow very rapidly at this rate..."

The lizard tilted her head at Perceptor, chirring softly at her before stalking across the table to lurk next to the baking supplies. She had already figured out that the process of making the tasty treats attracted equally tasty bugs.

"This might be worth getting another," Perceptor mused as she worked. By the time she was done all available space was covered in cooling, slightly random shapes of the base treat, and two pots set down for a happy Silver to finish 'cleaning' for now. The femmie reached for the next layer, planning three with the last two more for decoration instead of 'filling'. The smell of sweet and rich energon filled her roomed when Perceptor was truly done, and told the lizard to guard, not eat.

The lizard chirped, stalking around a tray to snap up an opportunistic pest. Climbing onto one of the various mixing tools Perceptor had been using, the creature settled down, using the higher perch to keep an optic on the whole counter.

At that time she finally came back to poke Drift's foot, frowning at the still recharging mech. Drift barely stirred, mumbling something and shifting slightly before settling back down, his ventilations evening back out into deep recharge.

"Drift my friend, you should be up," Perceptor coaxed, walking up beside him to poke at a joint, "You do have an active duty shift today, and an appointment with X-Brawn."

The white swordsmech mumbled again, twitching at the poke. But he still didn't wake up.

"Last warning before drastic measures are taken," Perceptor said as she looked not at the mech but the grinning, tail wagging cyber wolf puppy. The femmie smirked.

This time Drift made no response at all. He was back in deep recharge and showed no signs of awakening any time soon. At least, not without a little persuasion.

That persuasion came bounding over as Perceptor clicked and knelt down. She didn't get the same over-spazzing response, and gave Silver a scratch between ears to get that happy blizz state in order to pick up the normally quiet wiggly pup. Once Drift was in sight of his companion, Silver- recharged and refueled on energon goodgie scraps, the puppy just couldn't wait to be put down again.

Little legs and big paws all flailing, Silver tripped and face planted on the berth right away. Then hopping right back up as if by a spring, the wolf pup bounded up and landed right in the center of Drift's closed chest plate to be able to give the mech her full adoring attention.

_That_ got the white mech's attention. He jerked in surprise, pale blue optics lighting up, blinking blearily at the mass of wiggle on his chest. "wha...?"

Silver gave a happy yip and got a few more licks in as she slipped on Drift's armor. The result had her faceplanting on his own head. "Err?"

It took a minute for Drift's processor to finish booting up. During that minute his arms flailed comically in reaction to the pile of fur on his face. Once he was more awake, he lifted Silver off his face, snorting a couple of pale hairs out of his sinus passages before slowly sitting up.

The puppy flailed her paws, and her long quick tongue flicked out to lick her master on the face, grinning a wide lupine grin. Then she gave a wanting whine for cuddles.

"As I said, drastic measures." Perceptor gasped out, in a rare moment of completely expressing her mirth and recovering from that laughing fit.

"Good morning to you, too," the swordsmech told the puppy, holding her with one arm while he reached for the first can of energon, looking at Perceptor. "Furriest wakeup call I've ever had."

"Wait until she is bigger." Perceptor smiled as she came over after pushing off the wall, "We have no idea if she will stay a short-fur. Silver has had some energon, but you will have to connect to platform network to find the closest dispenser later this shift."

Drift groaned. "That I'm not looking forward to. When she's bigger a pounce will knock the air right out of me." He made note of that tip, nodding.

"Hound dropped this off for you by the way," Perceptor said as she moved to the desk to pick up three objects off her desk. They had been outside of the door that she discovered on her morning routine, a data pad with a 'cheat sheet' and some other information about feeding times as well as a date for the first lesson. There was also a flex-metal collar and leash.

The white mech finished off his first can of energon before taking the items, keeping his hold on Silver. That was both to keep the bouncing to a minimum and to keep her from falling off the berth. Drift looked from the collar to the wiggling puppy and back again, and then looked up at his potential mate. "If I hold her still, can you get the collar on? She's too wiggly for me to do it one-handed."

Perceptor held out her hand for the collar, "Of course, though I imagine learning how to do so later will be to an advantage." The femmie had one more thing to give, but would wait. With Drift holding his puppy (mostly) still, the red and black femmie managed to slip the collar on.

Silver promptly started to shake her head, distracted enough to pause her exited love-attacks. With a huff and a yip the tiny cyber wolf all but bonked herself using a paw to swat at the new thing.

Drift had to laugh at her antics, rubbing her ears as he reached for the second can of energon. "That should keep her distracted at least for a little while."

"Yes." Perceptor chuckled and partly lifted the side of an open box on her desk, "I have a rather large present as well. Quite impressive."

White audial finials tilted. "Present?" Drift blinked at it curiously, hurrying to finish his energon and get to his feet.

"An assortment of severed insectoid limbs and a near whole cyber-scorpion, thankfully dead," Perceptor reported, "I think I may try to find another of these little ones."

Drift looked at the dead cyber-scorpion. "I'd heard that the magneto-lizards were adept at hunting scorpions, but I've never before seen the results of the hunt. If there aren't any more of the lizards down here, we can always venture topside to where their territories are."

"I might bring the subject up with the Foreman, depending on how many of these blasted things are found." She motioned to the 'prized' scorpion, and wondering how the lizard manage being nearly the same size. Perceptor turned her green optics to the mech, "You might want to refill those, and bring them with you today, as a word of advice since you will be spending the shift with X-Brawn."

"Even if there aren't many scorpions on the platform, he might be agreeable to bringing in some more magneto-lizards anyway. He does have younglings, and a large cyber-scorpion's sting is easily capable of seriously harming, maybe even killing them," the swordsmech pointed out, putting Silver down and collecting the empty cans. "Better safe than sorry, as the saying goes."

"Yes, though I have heard that some of the foxes do root the scorpions, the trouble is they cannot fit everywhere once old enough to know how to hunt them." Perceptor stepped out of her berthroom to give Drift room as well to check on the cooling energon goodies.

"Whereas your little huntress is almost fully grown and will be able to go anywhere the scorpions are no matter how tight the space." Drift gave himself a quick once-over, making sure all his armor plates were back in place and he didn't show any obvious scuff marks.

A small pile of dead bugs had accumulated on one corner of the table, well away from the treats. As Perceptor watched her pet lizard added another small corpse to the pile, its legs still twitching from residual charge.

"...I will need a few extra boxes," Perceptor judged after watching, "and clean... twice." She added eyeing the insects, wondering if it was too soon to call High Tower again.

Silver gave a tip behind Drift, whining as she crouched down on the edge of the berth, looking down and back up to him for help.

"At least you'll never have to worry about pests getting into your energon goodies again," the pale mech pointed out, lifting Silver off the berth and placing her on the floor. "More lizards might come in handy as general pest control, getting the bugs too small for the wolves and foxes to bother with. As well as keeping the Platform free of scorpions."

"I know that there are no raptors in this sub section," Perceptor commented, watching Silver walk and shake at the same time before wandering over to where she was fed, and looking up first at the two before yipping at the visible tail of the lizard.

The small head peeked over the edge, yellow optics peering down at the wolf pup. A moment later a dead bug was flicked off the table, bouncing off Silver's head. The wolf pup yipped, and then happily crunched the bug, gulping it down. Silver gave a lupine grin, now not so bothered about the collar.

Perceptor chuckled.

Drift shook his head. "I think they're going to get along fine, as long as Silver learns not to pounce on her."

The lizard tilted her head, then flicked another bug at the happy puppy.

"I think this might work well too," Perceptor nodded, thinking also of a good way to be rid of the insect parts, "And for now it is a good temporary replacement until you order some crunchies."

The white mech made a note to find some wolf crunchies as he watched the pup happily bolting down the dead bugs. The lizard seemed to be taking some enjoyment from flicking the bugs off the counter and watching Silver try to catch them before they hit the floor. "Bugs beware... If the lizard doesn't eat them, the pup will."

"They are the first 'prey' puppies and kits go after," Perceptor smirked again, paused to tilt her head, "And you really should get yourself, and Silver ready to go if you want to arrive on time to the upper bay 6 to meet X-Brawn."

Chuckling at the reminder, Drift refilled his energon cans, stashing them in subspace. Managing to catch Silver, he clipped the leash to her collar. "The little huntress is sure to have some more crunchy bugs for you later." Silver looked put out, before turning in a circle in order to catch the leach in her little jaws and hang onto it with a wagging tail. Drift snorted softly at the antics, and then leaned over to lightly kiss Perceptor on the cheek. "I'll see you later," he purred, then headed for the door, tugging Silver after him.

"I shall hold you to that, sir Drift," The femmie chuckled, and then her optics dimmed and flashed in a blink as Silver silly-ed up the moment by running in to first the door frame and then Drift's leg.

The white mech's laugh echoed down the corridor as he sidestepped, keeping the leash from getting caught in his armor.

Silver huffed, shaking her head and with a determined puppy march headed off in direction that Drift started on. She never stopped sniffing, and was just starting to get why she shouldn't pull on the leash when something hopped out of the semi-open vent. It made Silver back pedal and trip over her too-big paws, staring with wide pale optics at the fully grown, maned male turbo fox, who looked only mildly taken a back at the two.

"Easy, you ball of fluff." Drift had to stop and crouch down to untangle the leash from Silver's paws before she tripped herself.

The fox leaned over to touch noses with Silver, his bushy tail swishing. He was odd for a fox, or at least most that Drift would have seen in wild and as normal pets, being 'fluffy' really only on his neck, chest, shoulders and his tail. With shorter fur merging to metallic hide over most of the rest of his body, and the fur looked stiffer and harder. _Topspin_ was the glyph on his hind legs.

"Hello there." Drift offered a hand to the turbo-fox, looking the creature over. He'd never seen a turbo-fox looking quite like that before.

The fox leaned over first sniff the fingers of the new person, before touching his nose to Drift's palm in greeting. There was a reserve about the fox, and he pricked his ears up at hearing a door open. With a deeper yip than what Silver could do, one of greeting as he trotted over to the blue and yellow mech that was stretching as he emerged out of his room, another fox like the first following him, just not having the mane of a male.

The white mech sat back on his heels, watching the foxes, absently scratching between Silver's ears. Spotting the other mech, one he hadn't met yet, Drift straightened, tilting his head to one side.

"Oy... fur-bag," the other mech greeted the male fox, giving it a good rub behind its ears as well, and then stood back up. He used a foot to keep the fox out of the room, "Sorry big mech, you're still not allowed in there." the Wrecker grinned.  
The male turbo fox snorted, less than impressed with this. At the same time the smaller female came over to great Drift and Silver with a swaying tail.

Drift blinked. "He's not allowed in there?" He crouched down again, offering his hand to the female fox.

"Not with my other little shiela in there," The blue mech tilted his head back at his room, the male fox glaring at the offending door. "Not with her new born litter. She'd tear a chunk out of the lad if he came too close, and I need my foxes working." The mech watched as the female fox started outright grooming first Drift's hand, and then Silver.

"That makes sense." Drift reached out to pet the fox, watching her. "But he's still not happy about it, apparently."

"He'll see 'em later," The blue mech chuckled as he held up a hand, measuring out a space just shy of finger length, "Just popped out last night. Mom and the shiela there are sisters so that's why she doesn't mind Tack there. Name's Topspin," he introduced himself and offered a hand, "Second."

"Drift, swordsmech. I'm with Perceptor." Drift took the offered hand, shaking it. "And this little ball of paws and enthusiasm is Silver, my wolf pup."

"Nice ta' meet yea." Topspin tilted his head to look down at Silver, chuckling as she tried to avoid getting a bath, "Nice color on her, hope you don't spray 'er. Hound just might cry at the thought."

"I hadn't given it any thought," the white mech confessed. He shifted, trying to keep the leash from wrapping around his legs as Silver tried to avoid the licking. "I'm entirely new at having a pet at all."

"I'd suggest gettin' together with Hound while he's still around," Topspin chuckled, and then gave a whistle that had both foxes bounding over to stand behind him, "Would like to stay and yabber, but there's a site I gotta run. Luck from the Sigma to yea though."

"And I have to go meet an X-Brawn, once Silver finishes getting sidetracked." Drift straightened, trying to unwrap the leash from his ankle.

"Squeaky toys help in a lot of things," Topspin laughed as he headed in the other direction.

After he left down the hall, Silver shook herself and grinned up at her person.

Drift chuckled. "I'll remember that!" He looked down at Silver. "C'mon, we've gotta get going."

Silver yipped, rising up on her hind legs for a moment before plopping down. The puppy happily started first, tail wagging once more as there was no more baths.

The swordsmech snorted softly. He tugged gently on the leash, reaching down to scratch her ears. "Come on, we have to go. We're going to be late."

After that, the rest of the trip was spent with a little puppy nose sniffing all the time and staying close as there were several adult wolves lounging in the hall, just outside of offices. Most of this level was dedicated to security, and the cyber wolves seemed to be the favored creature of aid here, along with cyber raptors and way down the hall it looked like there was a bat and a hawk on their own posts attached to the wall. To the right according to the sign was where the bay that Drift needed was located.

Pale blue optics took in everything there was to see. A couple of times he almost tripped over Silver, keeping one optic on her to avoid stepping on her. "You don't have to stay that close; I doubt any of them will try to eat you." Spotting the sign, Drift moved in that direction.

Silver wasn't so convinced, and still stayed close. When a four legged golden form, that was larger than most of the wolves at the shoulder and in mass, came out of one office the puppy barked in fear. Whining she stopped to hide behind Drift as the maned feline turned blue optics towards the two with tipped ears.

Drift stopped. He slowly bent down to pick up the whimpering puppy, not taking his gaze off what could only be a cyber-lion. This was the closest he had ever been to one. Not daring to move, he stayed where he was.

Heads of the adult wolves were lifting up for a moment, and a few mechs poked their own helms out of the small offices to watch what was happening. A few wreckers snickered and grinned at Drift, while the lion growled softly. It had no true fur, and his mane was made more of layered plates that softly scraped against each other.

The swordsmech eyed the lion, shifting Silver to one arm and resting his other hand on the hilt of his hip-mounted sword. Pale optics narrowed.

"Oy!" A mech to the right called, "Stop freaking out the Rookies Steeljaw, at least wait until the Boss-mech does first."

The semi aggressive stance in the lion vanished as he shook himself... and grinned, "Couldn't help it." He purred... and said... as he paced out to one of the other offices, head held proudly up, chuckling as he added, "Its a feline thing my friend."

Drift blinked. Tense white armor slowly relaxed. He has not expected the creature to be able to speak. "Ah... who are you?"

"Steeljaw," The lion turned, lifting one massive paw and giving Drift a bow of sorts, "Platform security, sometimes on-site as well."

"He's a boss," one of the other mechs laughed, red optics flashing in his mirth at Drift's former expression.

"He's scaring my wolf," Drift informed them, indicating the ball of pale fur in his arms. He finally let go of his sword hilt, but he didn't relax all the way.

"The pup is small, and I'm a natural predator," Steeljaw explained, but he was turning back with a twitching tail to that other office he wanted, "It takes a little work, but as you see these do not mind me." the beast-mech pointed out as he lifted up to touch a paw to the door control and shut it considerately.

"That must take quite a bit of exposure to you for them to get used to you," Drift noted. White armor rattled slightly. Then Drift resumed walking toward the bay where he was to meet X-Brawn.

One of the mechs lingered to give the pale mech a positive gesture before returning to his work. The wolf sprawled out in front of the door was a protective speed bump with teeth, and completely disinterested in the new mech now after finding him as a non-threat.

The pale mech eyed the large wolf, cautiously stepping over it to enter the bay.

It was large, but not overly so and looked more like a place for sparring with three rings, marked by white circles painted on the floor. A rack of assorted weapons was on the far side of the room, where a few mechs were clustered and admiring. One of the rings were in use, with a white and grey mech in the process of easily holding off a newcomer to the art of bladed combat with only one of his.  
Only one mech turned fully to look at Drift, he was about the same size, yet had a stockier feel to him. It might be because his left arm was out of proportion, being a good three, almost four times larger than normal. He was green mostly, with highlights of white and undertones of green, but his optics were bright Autobot-Blue over his face mask.

Drift blinked at the out-of-proportion arm, but didn't say anything. He moved farther into the bay, glancing at the other two mechs. Absently scratching Silver's chin, he took in his surroundings with a sweeping glance before turning his attention to the green mech.

This strange mech all but sauntered over with the a mock salute with his normal arm, "Hey thar mate." he greeted, possibly smiling but it was hard to tell with him, "Ya on o' the new rookies too?" he drawled in an accent that was not a Wrecker one, this mech was one of those that migrated down from the surface.

"I am," the pale mech replied. "Name's Drift. I'm with Perceptor. And this little ball of fluff is Silver."

"Shakin' like it met Steeljaw," The green mech chuckled, lifting his normal arm to give a reassuring pet, "An' Perceptor? Primus about time..." Now he laughed.

"Yes, we met Steeljaw. I doubt Silver is going to to venture more than a couple of feet away from me for a while." Drift rubbed her ears. At the second comment, he fluffed his armor. "Yes, Perceptor. You're not the first to say it's about time."

"ain't no offence mate," The other mech assured, "I've known Percy since before Roadbuster recruited us both. Ah know how highstrung an' twitchy she gets being alone. An' yar pup's gonna have to be put over there," He turned partly to point at the far corner that had a raised 'mini wall.' just big enough to keep puppies and kits in, but not so large that the two cyber raptors couldn't hop up.

"I haven't seen much twitchiness out of her since she and I got back from the trip topside." Drift walked over to the pen, putting Silver down inside it and scratching her ears.

"Hi!" A sparkling said from within the area, he was old enough to be able to talk properly, and probably nearing the time of his first upgrade. "I'm watching everyone, I'm Sideburn- who's this?" He asked coming over with a black furred and floppy-eared puppy in his arms. There was three including Silver, and four kits as well as the two adult lesser raptors.

"This is Silver." Drift unclipped the leash, tucking it into subspace.

"I'll take good care of 'em," Sideburn promised as he put the black puppy down to start making friends with Silver. The pale puppy flailed as she was promptly pounced on for a change, and rolled away with the other two pups.

Drift watched for a moment, making sure his little cyber-wolf would be fine. Then he turned his attention back to the green mech with the oversized arm.

"Wheeljack, finish up," X-brawn ordered, glancing back at Drift and motioning him as well the other two by the wall back to him. As he turned back there was a crash as Wheeljack flipped his trainee over and down to the floor, before sliding his own two swords into the sheaths over his shoulders.

"Aye boss," the white mech grinned, but he also stooped to help his sparring partner up again.

The white swordsmech approached, glancing over to watch the two mechs sparring. He'd heard of Wheeljack from Perceptor.

"Hmm, looks like Roadbuster just gave mah four," X-Brawn hummed thoughtfully as he nudged Drift with the other three. "Well, let's see if ya'll can survive ya' first day?" The mech's grin wasn't visible, but Wheeljack was making up for it. "first off, questions? And asking to make an appointment with Red Alert doesn't count."

Drift snorted. "I'm sure I'll think of some questions eventually." He eyed the other three mechs, idly resting one hand on the hilt of his hip-mounted sword. Over his helm the hilt gem of his Great Sword flared a bright blue.

"You already answered ours, sir," A yellow and black mech pointed out.

"Good, now follow me," he said, waving the mechs after him as he walked to the far wall. To the side, little puppy and sparkling optics watched them as X-Brawn opened a door in the wall and stepped back. "First one back here gets to recharge until the others get back. Any o' ya'll get stuck..." He shrugged.

Pale optics narrowed slightly as he followed, glancing at X-Brawn as he passed through the door.


End file.
